His Past
by gurl3677
Summary: Daryl's past come stumbling out of the woods one day.  With the world ending around them and his anger at it's very worst, can they rebuild things?  Summery sucks and wil change.  Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

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Her finger tips danced up his bare stomach, making it jump as they made out. His breathing increased as they traveled up his chest and circled his nipples. He groaned when they started their way back down him. She was the only one who got to see him shirtless. She was the only one who never cared about his scars or how bad his childhood had been. She touched him like the marks weren't littered across his upper body.

" Daryl." She whispered against his lips. Her hands moved to his hips then around to his ass were they started gripping him hard. She was forcing him to move harder and deeper into her. She moaned loudly as she turned her head.

" You best stop doin that." He warned. " Or this ain't gonna last much longer."

" Close!" She moaned out. His breath was hot and fast against her cheek. She was squeezing her eyes shut. When she started moving her hips faster it forced him to readjust his thrusts.

" Sage!" He warned again. He was too close. Even if she slowed down right than, he was going to cum inside her in moments. She was too warm, too wet and it felt too good for him to hold back much longer.

Suddenly, her legs tighten on his. Her hands flew up to his hair. She pulled it as her back arched. She cried out her orgasm but he only had a few seconds to enjoy it before his own slammed into him. He pushed into her hard until he was completely inside her. His muscles tensed as her little body trembled. He grunted as he came.

When they came down, he slowly lowed himself on top of her. His head came to rest against her chest. He could hear her heart racing. Her arms came around his shoulders. They both fell silent. This was going to be their last time together. She was leaving, moving from Atlanta, Georgia, to Ohio to start her dream job as a art teacher. He had come over to pick up the last of his stuff. She had asked him to come with her, had even begged him but he had said no. He had been pissed that she had applied and accepted the job without talking to him first.

They had been together for a year and a half. If she had been thinking about making such a life changing decision she should have included him on it first. The night she told him she was going to be leaving in a month, Daryl had exploded on her without hearing the full story. He had started yelling, asking her how she could do that to them. Sage had tried to calm him down, had tried to tell him what she really wanted but he took off. His short temper had gotten the best of him, again.

He had been so pissed that he had let Merle talk him into going to a strip club later that night. Sage had a friend who worked at the club. He was sure that was how Sage found out he was there. Merle had bought him a private lap dance. The stripper had taken Daryl's hand and led him to a back room. He hadn't really been paying attention to the stripper as she swayed her hips in front of him. She was completely naked but he hardly noticed. He had been gripping his beer in one hand while his other hand gripped the chair's arm. His mouth had been tight and his eyes unfocused. The stripper had leaned down and took a hold of Daryl's face. She straddled his lap and started working her hips against his when Sage walked in.

The music had been loud and at first neither Daryl or the stripper had seen her. Daryl's eyes had just shifted to Sage on accident. She looked like she was going to throw up. All the color had drained from her face. Daryl didn't even bother to stop the stripper from grinding on him. Sage's hand came to her mouth a few seconds before she backed out of the room, closing the door behind her as the stripper rubbed her tits in Daryl's face.

A few weeks later he had showed up at her place to get his stuff. She was going to be leaving the next day. His pride had kept him from calling her before. His hurt feelings about her leaving had stopped him from going to see her sooner. It was when she handed over his stuff that Sage had told him she had wanted him to move with her. She had even contacted a few construction places and had arranged interviews for him. Daryl's heart had dropped to the floor when she told him that.

Then she had started to cry, saying she couldn't believe what she had seen at the strip club. He had stood up, his mouth tight, his jaws clutched as he listened. Once again, his own pride stopping him from speaking. It stopped him from saying he was sorry. To his surprise, when she was done crying, Sage had come into him and hugged him. Her arms went around him and squeezed him. Slowly, Daryl's right hand went into her long hair. His left hand came up to tilt her head so he could look into her eyes. The next thing he knew, they were making out and backing up to her bed room.

Sage shifted underneath him, bring him back to the present. He was embarrassed by his behavior and wouldn't meet her eyes. He moved to her side. They gave each other their backs and both started getting dressed at the same time. He was sure she was crying again but he wouldn't turn around. He was standing and buttoning his shirt up when he glanced behind him. Sage was wearing her shirt and panties while she sat on her bed. Her head was in her hands. He turned back around and squinted his eyes. He shook his head.

" Be careful." He said softly. Sage closed her eyes and dropped her hands. She knew better than to want more from him. Daryl was a man of little words.

" You too." She whispered. Daryl stared at her wall.

' Tell her you're sorry.' He said to himself. He swallowed hard.

" I hope the job works out." Was all he said. He looked down at his shirt as he started playing with the buttons.

" Thanks." She said.

" I should go. Merle's waitin outside." He said.

It was a lie. Merle wasn't waiting for him, he just need to get out of there. He was in danger of begging her to take him back, begging her to let him come with her. With her gone, there was nothing there for him anymore. He dropped his hands and raised his head to stare at her wall again. His shoulders tighten and his jaws clutched. He harden up in that instant. Daryl shook himself and walked out of her room, out of her life.

XXXXXX

The next day he came early and parked his truck far enough away that she wouldn't see him. He gripped his steering wheel as he watched her pack up her car. When her last bag was packed, she got into the car but didn't start it up right away. He frowned as he watched her rest her head against her steering wheel. He was sure she was crying. After a few minutes, Sage sat up straight. Her hands swept over her cheeks quickly. She shook her head, started up her car, and drove away.

She drove away from him and he let her. He could have stopped her but he didn't. He cursed himself. He cursed his pride and his stupid mistake. Why hadn't he just said he was sorry? Why had he let his temper rule him and control him? He had let the best thing that had ever happen to him just drive away. He shook his head and started up his truck. He was going to go home and drink until he threw up or passed out.

Little did he know that a year and a half later, the world would fall apart and he'd lose his brother too.


	2. Chapter 2

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Daryl's cross bow was up and aim as he crept quietly through the forest. Something was moving towards him. He could hear it. It was too large to be an animal so that meant it had to be a walker. He tilted his head as he listened. The steps were almost to fast to be a walker but they were unsteady, as if the owner was sick. Maybe it was someone on the verge of turning. Made no difference to him. If the person was bitten they were good as dead anyway and he'd treat them as such. But what came out of the bushes in front of him froze Daryl to his spot.

It was her.

" Help me." Sage said in a quiet voice. The only she had on her was a backpack.

She dropped to her knees in front of him. Her arms were loose at her sides. Her dark blue eyes that he had loved so much, rolled back in her head and she fell to her side. Daryl was so stunned that he didn't move for a few seconds. Slowly he lowed his weapon as he took deep breaths. He lowed himself down while keeping his eyes locked on her face. He brought his fingers to her neck. Relief rushed through him when he felt her heartbeat.

He sent his cross bow on the ground and started searching her for bite marks. He checked her neck, lifting it gently and carefully. He checked her arms and hands. He lifted her shirt then rolled her over so he could look at Sage's back. He moved down her legs, feeling them through her jeans. Bites didn't heal, they bleed and weep infection, so if she had any marks on her legs, he'd feel them.

When he discovered her to be bite free, he leaned over her and checked her head. The left side of her head had a wound that was bleeding slightly. But it wasn't a bite wound. It looked like someone had hit her with something. His eyes narrowed as anger started through him. Who in their right mind would put their hands on her? Who would hit her? When Daryl found out, he'd kill them if they weren't dead already. He grabbed his cross bow and slipped the straps over his chest so it came to rest against his back. He put his left arm under her knees and his right arm went across her back. Carefully he stood to his full height. Her head fell back and her arms hung loosely on either side of him but she was alive. He turned and started running back to the farm.

He couldn't save Sophia but he'd be damn if he lost Sage.

XXXXXX

When Daryl ran out of the trees and towards the camp, it got every one's attention. Fear shot through the camp. Rick and Shane started towards him. Their steps faltered slightly when they saw him carrying someone in his arms. The three men were running towards the farmhouse and were quickly joined by Dale, Glenn, and T-Dog. Questions were being asked but Daryl ignored them all. He needed to get her help before he did anything else. The group reached the farmhouse as Hershel came out. Daryl slowed down as he looked at the old man. Hershel was frowning and shaking his head.

" Help her. Please." It was the please that stopped everyone. Daryl Dixon did not say please. " She ain't been bit. I checked her over. She got a head wound and she's passed out." Hershel looked over the body of the small girl in his arms. His face softened at the sight of her.

" Bring her in." He said as he moved out of the way. Daryl nodded then started into the farmhouse.

Hershel took the lead. Daryl followed him up into the room that had been his when he was injured. Only Rick came with them. Hershel refused Shane entrance into the house. The older man turned down the blankets on the bed and Daryl laid her down gently. His eyes glued to her face. She hadn't moved or made a sound since she passed out. Hershel grabbed his bag and went to work, checking her head.

" Rick, go get Maggie. Tell her we need some clean clothes, size..." Hershel's voice paused as his eyes flowed her body, trying to judge her size.

" Shirt size is medium and her pants are 5/6." Daryl spoke up. He was aware of Rick's shocked expression.

" Yeah, I'll be back." Rick recovered and left the room.

" I take it you know her." Hershel said as he started checking her head wound again.

" Used to date her." Daryl said quietly. He was standing on the right side of the bed while Hershel was on the left. " I ain't seen her in a year and a half."

" Help me get her out of the shirt. She shouldn't be left in something so bloody." Hershel said.

Daryl's hands shook as he took a hold of her shirt. He pulled it up to her chest then grabbed her right arm. He pulled it out of her sleeve then moved to her left arm. Hershel supported her head as Daryl finished slipping the shirt off. He frowned as he looked at it. The shirt and her jeans were surprisingly clean as well as her body. The shirt had blood on it which he figured was from her head. It was like she had been staying some place were she had access to running water. When he heard Rick coming back to the room, Daryl pulled the sheets up to her chin to cover her body.

XXXXX

Daryl and Rick stood outside of the room while Hershel continued to check her head. Rick wanted to ask Daryl about her, but hadn't yet. They were standing side by side, both leaning against the wall. Daryl was listening carefully to the door as his thoughts swirled around inside his head. Where did she come from? Why was she back in town? What had happen to her?

" Daryl?" Rick asked. Daryl's mouth tighten.

" I knew her before." The hunter said. " She was my girlfriend for a time." Rick nodded, shocked that Daryl had had a girlfriend. " We broke up over a year ago and I ain't seen her since."

" Must have been a shock to find her than." Rick said. Daryl nodded and turned towards Rick.

" Don't no one else need to know that. It's private." Daryl said. Again Rick nodded. Daryl was a private person, had been since Rick met him.

" You can come in." Hershel's voice called to them. Daryl's mouth tighten and his eyes narrowed before he walked in. Hershel was wiping his hands off on a rag. Sage was still on her back. " Well, as you can see, it looks like someone hit her on the side of her head. Had to be something hard because I think it fractured her skull. The wound you can see doesn't need stitches or anything but it's the wound we don't see that I'm worried about." Daryl's eyes were glued to her face.

" She gonna live?" He asked quietly.

" I can't say. If we could X-Ray her brain I could tell more but we can't. I checked her eyes and they see alright so I don't think she has any brain swelling but I don't know for sure." Hershel said. " We aren't going to know anything until she wakes up, if she wakes up." She'd wake up, Daryl was sure. She had to wake up. He couldn't image her not waking up. " All we can do right now is wait."

XXXXXX

Daryl was pacing slowly in front of her bed. His eyes trained on her face. She still hadn't moved or made a sound but she was breathing. Her heart beat was strong so he was hopeful for the first time in a long time. He wasn't sure what was going to happen when she did wake up. Was she going to be as glad to see him as he was to see her? Was she going to be upset with him? What if she had a man that came looking for her? Daryl wasn't sure he'd let her leave now that he had her back. What the hell was he going to say to her?

XXXXXX

_Flashback _

_Daryl saw her across the bar every night for the past two weeks. He'd watch her out of the corner of his eyes, never wanting her to know he was watching her. She was just about the prettiest thing he had ever seen. She was tiny, 5 ft 1 in with long dark hair that Daryl was sure felt like silk. Her frame was tight and slender. She always stayed on her side of the bar and he stayed on his. She came with a small group of girls that kept to themselves. The four girls were quiet, surprisingly._

_Her laugh pulled his eyes up and across the bar to her. His face flushed right away when they met eyes. He dropped his eyes and shook his head. He was gripping his draft and praying she didn't think he was some creeper. He was so wrapped up in cursing himself out for letting her see him staring at her, that he didn't noticed when she slipped in next to him. _

_" Ah, hi." Came a soft, female voice. Daryl looked slowly to his side as shock went through him. She smiled at him. " So my name is Sage."_

_" Like the spice?" He asked, mentally he smacked himself in the head for sounding so stupid. She laughed._

_" Yeah, like the spice. What's your name?" _

_" Daryl." He said._

_" Daryl, I was wondering if you could settle something for me and my friends." Sage said._

_" What?" He asked._

_" Well, you have amazing arms so I think you work construction but my friends think you work out. So which is it?" Wow, she was bold._

_" Ah, I work construction." Daryl said as he looked away from her. Sage smiled again._

_" I won, thank you, Daryl." She said. He nodded._

_" Yeah, sure thing." He said. _

_She laughed before she jumped off the bar stool and hurried away. He glance behind him as she passed him. His eyes followed her ass as she moved through the bar to her friends. She had noticed him, at least enough to notice his arms. Daryl looked back into his drink when she and her friends looked back at him. He tried not to smile as he readjusted himself in the bar stool._

_" Excuse me, Daryl?" A girl asked him a few minutes later. He jumped and looked to his side. One of her friends, a blond, was standing beside him. " What did my friend ask you?" He looked back into his drink. His eyes shifted over to her but he couldn't see her._

_" Ah, she asked me what I did as a job." He said when he looked back at his beer._

_" She fucking lied!" The blond said with a smile. Daryl looked at her quickly. " See, she noticed you a few weeks ago and thought you were hot. We have been trying to get her to ask you out but she's shy sometimes. So we dared her to come over and ask you out, Sage can't resist a dare. She came back to us and said she asked you out but you turned her down."_

_" She didn't ask me nothin about goin out." He said. He was surprised. That hot girl had been checking him out as he had been checking her out._

_" And I bet she won't so will you do me a favor? Will you ask her out? Because she really wants to talk to you. She really wants to go out with you but she's too much of a bitch to ask." The blond said. Daryl looked back at Sage as she came out of the bathroom. " I got go! Don't tell her I said anything to you!" The blond said before she hurried away._

_After another hour went by before Daryl finally worked up enough nerve to walk up to her. He had finished his beer and ordered another one. He had picked it up and started pacing while he watched her. He paced back and forth slowly, taking drinks. Once he had drank half the beer he decided to chance it. He downed the rest of the beer and put the empty glass down. He took a deep breath and started towards her._

_End Flashback_


	3. Chapter 3

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For three hours Daryl paced through the bedroom. He'd bite his thumb nail, staring at her. He stopped pacing to sit by her bed with his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees for a while. A few times he held her hand and rubbed it or he'd sit on the bed, rubbing her arm and whispering for her to open her eyes. At the end of the three hours, he was pacing again. Hershel walked in to check on her when she moaned, stilling both men's movements. Hershel and Daryl exchanged a quick look to each other before they looked at her. Hershel moved to the bed.

" Young lady, can you open your eyes for me?" He asked gently. Slowly Sage's eyes opened but closed again right away. She swallowed hard and brought her hands to her head.

" My head hurts." Daryl's shoulders dropped at the sound of her voice.

" You received a pretty bad head injury." Hershel confirmed for her.

" Where am I?" She asked as her eyes opened again. She was squinting from the pain.

" You're in a house on my farm. My name's Hershel." The old man said. She frowned and swallowed again.

" What happen to me?" She asked. Hershel sat down in the chair by the bed.

" We were hoping you could fill us in on that." Sage closed her eyes and shook her head.

" I don't remember." She said. Hershel looked up at Daryl who was frowning down at her.

" You don't remember?" Hershel asked when he looked back at her.

" No. How did I get here?" She asked. Slowly her eyes opened again.

" This man found you in the woods." Sage turned her head slightly and finally looked at Daryl. He stood up straight and waited. " Do you know him?" Hershel asked. Daryl watched as her eyes moved over him a second before she shook her head and looked back at the old man.

" No." She said. Without thinking, Daryl took a step back.

" You don't know him?" Hershel asked. Sage shook her head again.

" No." She said.

' How the hell can't she remember me?' Daryl thought. Merle's voice started to echo through his head.

' Ain't no one gonna care about you or love you like I do. No one, not even that bitch you were fuckin.' He hadn't believed it. Sage used to tell him she loved him all the time. Maybe she had been lying.

" Do you remember anything? Do you know your name?" Hershel asked. She looked confused as she stared at the blanket.

" I don't...I don't know. I can't remember." She said.

" Sage." Daryl spoke up without thinking. She looked up at him. " Your name's Sage."

" How do you know that?" She asked. He frowned.

" Saw your driver's license." He lied.

" Does that sound familar?" Hershel asked gently. Sage didn't take her eyes from Daryl as she shook her head.

" No." She looked back at Hershel. " How can I not remember anything?"

" Well, you got hit in the head pretty hard."

XXXXXX

Hershel let Sage take a shower so she could wash the blood from her hair. The group met outside in Hershel's front yard to talk about the new girl. Daryl was shifting his weight around. He had never been good at standing still. Only Rick and Hershel knew of Daryl's and Sage's past and they promised to keep it that way.

" So she doesn't remember anything?" Glenn asked. Hershel shook his head.

" She didn't even know what happen in the world." He said.

" Well how did she take that news?" Dale asked.

" She's confused. Try and put yourself in her position. If anyone can understand what she's going through, I image it's Rick." Hershel said. Rick nodded.

" Maybe I should talk to her." He offered. He glanced over at Daryl who frowned but nodded quickly.

" Might help her." Hershel said. " I would think she is feeling very alone right now. If only someone who knew her before could talk to her." Daryl didn't miss what he was saying but he wasn't offering anything. He was confused and not sure what to say to her. He needed to sort himself out before he spoke to her. Seeing her again was having a huge effect on him and he didn't know how to handle it.

" Well, I will go in and wait for her to get out of the shower then I'll talk to her. Maybe I can help her to understand things a little better." Rick said.

" I think she needs time to adjust so when she comes out, I don't think everyone should come at her at once. Let her feel things out." Hershel said. The group broke apart and headed back to camp. Only Hershel, Rick, and Daryl stayed behind. " I think you should talk to her." He said to Daryl. Daryl squinted his eyes and shook his head.

" Ain't nothin to say. She don't know me."

" But you know her. Maybe you can fill in her past for her." Rick said.

" I don't know what to say. I need some time to process everythin." Daryl said. " I don't want her to know about us, not til I know what to say."

" You need to talk to her." Rick tried again.

" I need to think." Was all Daryl said before he walked away.

Rick put his hands on his hips as he watched the hunter leave. Daryl was holding onto the straps of his cross bow and his head down as he walked. Rick shook his head before turning away and started into the house. He was going to wait in the room for her. Hershel was right, Rick could understand her confusion to a point. When he woke up, the world had been a shock to him but at least he knew who he was. He was going to give Daryl the time he needed, he knew better than to push the hunter. Whatever had happen between Daryl and Sage was still affecting him. Rick could see it on his face. Daryl needed time to adjust to her like she needed time to adjust to herself.


	4. Chapter 4

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Sage had gotten dressed in the clothes the old man had given her and brushed out her long hair, being careful with her injury. She stared at herself in the mirror when she was done. She was frowning and willing herself to remember something, anything but there was nothing. The face staring back at her gave up nothing. Tears weld up in her eyes but she shook herself. She was not going to cry. Someone there had to know her. She pursed her lips together then walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

When she walked into the room she had woken up in, she found a man sitting in the rocker. He smiled at her and it was friendly, but Sage was still uncomfortable. Did he know her but she didn't remember him? If that was so, what would she say to him? He stood up as she walked over to the bed and sat down. She crossed her arms over her chest and met his eyes.

" Hello, I'm Rick Grimes." He said as he extended his hand. Sage looked at his hand then slowly reached out for it.

" Hi." She said shyly. " I guess I'm Sage." Rick nodded as they shook hands.

" I know a little bit about what you are going through. Not to long ago I was in your position. I woke up from a coma and found the world I knew had ended. I thought maybe I could help you." He said.

" Did you remember who you were?" Sage asked. Rick frowned as he sat down beside her.

" Yeah, I did. So I can't understand that part of what you're going through but I understand the confusion." He said. Sage listened patiently as he retold her his story. She nodded and was suprised that she was feeling a kinship to him. He really did understand her confusion.

" So there are more people outside?" Sage asked.

" Yeah, I'm apart of a group. You can meet them if you'd like." Rick said.

" Do any of them know me?" She asked. Rick pressed his lips together and shook his head. Sage looked away but nodded.

" I'd like to see the man who found me. I should thank him. I didn't catch his name when he was here." She said.

" His name's Daryl. Daryl Dixon." Rick said, watching her reaction to the name. " Does that sound familiar?" Sage shook her head as she looked at him.

" No, should it?" She asked.

" I guess not." Rick said softly.

XXXXXX

When Daryl came back to camp, he saw Sage was walking around with Rick. It looked like he was introducing her around. She was shaking hands but not smiling and but that was her. She was shy. She didn't warm up to people very quickly. He could see her taking things in. She wasn't frowning but she wasn't smiling either. As soon as someone let go of her hand, she would cross her arms over her chest. He hated seeing her like that. She looked scared and out of place. He frowned and shouldered the animals he had caught before he started towards his tent. He was praying she didn't see him for a while.

He sighed as he sat down in his camping chair. His tent was away from the groups but he could hear them. A few people were trying to talk to her but he couldn't hear her answering them. He glanced up as he unhook his knife from his side. His frowned deepen when he saw she was making her way over to him. He dropped his eyes right away as his stomach fell inside him. His heart was slamming in his chest. She was going to talk to him for the first time since she had whispered his name during their last sexual encounter. Damn, he used to love the why she said his name during sex.

" Daryl?" Sage asked. He grunted as he started skinning one of the rabbits he had caught. " Is that your name?" His hand froze as a lump jumped into his throat. She didn't even know if that was his name or not.

" Yeah." He managed to get out. When she didn't speak, his lifted his eyes to her. She was holding her arms tight to her. She looked so scared that his shoulders dropped. He wanted to offer her comfort but didn't know how.

" Ah, so Rick said you found me." She said softly.

" Yeah, that's about right." He said. He dropped his eyes to the rabbit and started working again. His mouth was shut but he was moving his bottom jaw slightly, something he did without thinking.

" Well, thanks for not just leaving me out there to die." Sage said. " I owe you so if there is anything you need help with..." Her voice faded off. He nodded.

" Yeah, alright." He said. When she didn't say anything else, he slowly raised his eyes up to her face. She was frowning as she looked at him.

" You are so familiar to me, like I know you but can't place you. Did I say anything to you when you found me?" She asked.

' You know me cause you used to tell me you loved me.' He thought.

" Help me. That's all you said before you passed out." He answered as his eyes dropped. She nodded.

" Maybe that's why I feel like I know you." She said.

" Maybe." He answered.

" Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you." She said. He nodded.

" Yeah." Daryl said. Sage sighed but turned and started back towards the camp fire where Rick was. Daryl stopped working and closed his eyes. He kept his head down.

XXXXXX

_Sage and Daryl had been dating for two weeks when they held hands for the first time. They were walking through the parking lot of the bar he had first asked her out in. She was walking a little ways behind him so she reached out and slipped her hand into his. Daryl jumped slightly and looked behind him. She smiled up at him. Daryl turned back around but squeezed her hand. She interlaced their fingers. _

_As soon as they walked into the bar, Daryl tugged her closer to him. He knew how the guys there looked at her, that was why he didn't like coming there with her. They weren't a set thing but he liked her a lot and didn't want to take the change of her finding someone better than him. A part of him was waiting for her to wake up and see him for what he really was._

_" You want a rum and coke?" He asked her._

_" Sure.'" Sage answered. " You want to trade off on buying rounds?" That was new for him. Most girls expected the guys to pay for everything. _

_" Ah, sure." Daryl answered as they reached the bar. _

_He let go of her hand so he could rest his arms on the counter. He clasped his hands together. Sage's hand came up and took a hold of his arm. He looked down at her then back at the bar. Maybe he didn't have to worry about the other guys. She seemed to want people to know they were together. She squeezed his arm so he pressed his arm against his side to give her hand a squeeze in return. _

_After they ordered their second round of drinks, they were facing each other as they sat at the bar. Something he said made Sage laugh and when she did, she reached out and patted his leg. He was surprised. No one just touched him but here was this beautiful girl, rubbing his leg, holding his hand and touching his arm. He smiled as he brought his beer to his lips. If this was what it was like to have a girlfriend, he could get used to it. He took a drink, taking note of how she was still rubbing his leg._

_About an hour later, the bar was becoming crowded so Sage stood up to offer up her seat. Daryl was surprised again when she came into him. She slipped her arm around his shoulder as she came to stand in between his legs. The bar was loud so she brought her mouth close to his ear. His left hand came to rest against her lower back._

_" Do you want to take this back to my place? It's so loud here." She pulled away to look at him. They locked eyes and he found himself nodding without thinking. Sage smiled and half rubbed, half patted his shoulder. " I have beer so we don't have to stop anywhere." Again he nodded. She smiled, almost shyly, and took a hold of his hand. He let her pull him up and that time, she took the lead as they walked out of the bar._

_Once at her place, she slipped the straps of her bag over her head and tossed it on the table. He watched her as she walked into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a beer for him and a coke for her. She didn't drink beer, only mixed drinks or shots. She faced him with a smile as she undid the beer. She set in on the counter and slipped it over to him. Daryl took it then watched as she quickly made herself a drink. He waited until she came out of her kitchen then followed her to the couch. He had been to her place before but only for a few minutes when he picked her up for their dates. They had been out on six dates since their first one._

_He slipped down next to her as she turned on the TV. She moved herself closer to him without looking at him. She moved until she was completely against him. He put his arm on the back of her couch and she took advantage of the extra room. She moved into him, letting her hand come to rest against his leg. They were both staring at the TV, not knowledging how close they were together. His arm moved from behind the cough to around her shoulders. He squeezed her shoulder._

_They sat in silence, neither one paying attention to the TV. They were both taking in how the other felt against them. When her fingers started scratching against his leg, he started rubbing her shoulder. After a while Sage leaned forward and set her cup down on her coffee table. She moved back towards Daryl and took his beer. She leaned forward again and set it beside her cup. She grabbed her remote and switched the TV off. He looked at her as she came back to him. She turned and looked at him._

_" Will you just kiss me already?" She asked._


	5. Chapter 5

_* Please review!*_

_His hands were deep in her hair as they made out slowly on her couch. They had started kissing while they were still sitting up but he had managed to switch positions without pulling his mouth from her. He gently pushed her to lay down while he came down on top of her. Her hands were holding onto his shirt as her tongue moved slowly over his._

_When her hips started moving against him, Daryl was sure he was going to come undone. She was working her hips slowly and carefully against him. Before he could stop himself, he started thrusting against her. She sighed and moaned into his mouth. He wanted her and wanted her bad. She tilted her head slightly when she started sucking his tongue. He growled and pulled his head away from her._

_" Don't do that." He groaned. He looked down at her. Sage's lips were red and a little swollen from him._

_" Why not?" She whispered. He noticed her eyes shifted down to his lips. Her tongue darted out and over her bottom lip. He squeezed his eyes tight._

_" Fuckin don't do that." He growled. _

_Sage smiled at his reaction. He was hard and pushing into her thigh. She lifted her head up and lightly let her tongue start tracing his bottom lip. He growled low in his throat so she sucked his lip into her mouth. When he tried to pull away, Sage's hands shot up to his face. She held him his head still while she sucked and licked his lip. When he tried to yank his head again, she tighten her hold on him._

_" Sage." _

_" I have condoms, if that's what you're worried about." She said when she let go of his lip. She dropped his head so he opened his eyes. " I'm on birth control and I'm completely clean." _

_" You hintin at what I think you're hintin at?" He asked. Sage laughed as her cheeks flushed slightly._

_" I'm not really hinting, Daryl." She said softly._

_He pulled away from her and sat down on her couch, facing her. He put one hand into his hair as he tried not to meet her eyes. His other hand was resting on his hip. Sage propped herself up on her elbows and tilted her head with a frown as she looked at him. He wanted her, she felt it. He moved against her and kissed her like he wanted her but now he won't even look at her._

_" I ain't...that is..." Daryl felt his cheeks start to flush. This was why he didn't have girlfriends. He sighed and shook his head. " I got go." He said as he started to stand up. Sage propelled herself forward and grabbed his arm._

_" Wait! What's going on?" Sage asked as she tugged at him. _

_" Nothin." Daryl said as he took his arm from her. He stood up and shook his head. " I gotta go."_

_" What did I do?" She asked._

_" Nothin." He muttered. Sage's shoulders fell._

_" I ruined this, didn't I?" She asked as she stared at her couch. Daryl turned around and looked at her._

_" What?" He asked._

_" This, between us, I ruined it. I'm not trying to rush things, it's just..." She paused as she shook her head. " I just really like you and I haven't liked anyone in a long time. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."_

_" You didn't make me uncomfortable." He said. He couldn't believe what she was saying. No one just liked him to like him._

_" Yes, I did. It's oblivious that you don't like me the way that I like you and because I rushed things, you're leaving." Daryl frowned and shook his head. He came forward and sat down quickly. His hands went back into her hair and he crushed his mouth to hers. He kissed her until he felt like his lungs were going to burst with the need for air. When he pulled away from her, her face was flushed and her eyes were closed._

_" It ain't like that. I like you, a lot. That's the problem." He said. Sage's eyes opened and met his, dark blue on light blue._

_" It's a problem that you like me?" She asked. Daryl stood up and started pacing in front of her coffee table._

_" I ain't like the men you been with, Sage." He said. His hands were on his hips. He was looking from her to her floor then back at her again. The way he was pacing reminded her of a caged lion._

_" What are you talking about?" She asked. _

_He sighed and put one hand behind his neck. He was going to have to show her what he looked like. He'd show her and she'd look at him in horror and tell him to leave. He stopped walking and faced her. He looked down at his shirt as he started undoing his buttons. When he had the entire fannel shirt undone, he took it off and tossed it on her coffee table. He reached behind him and took a hold of his wife beater. Sage watched as he took a deep breath. He pulled it off and slowly let it slip from his hand to the floor. Sage's eyes widen as she held her breath._

_He kept his head down so he wouldn't have to see her face. He heard her get up and knew she was coming towards him. He closed his eyes when she appeared in front of him. Slowly Sage's finger tips came up and started tracing some of his scars. He jumped the second she touched him. Daryl sucked in his breath as she slowly traced his marks._

_" What happen to you?" She asked softly._

_" My dad was a mean drunk." He answered with his voice just was soft. " Came after me a few times when I was a kid." Her fingers continued to touch him. His entire chest and stomach was a mess of scars of different sizes and lengths._

_" Are these why you didn't want to sleep with me?" Sage asked. He nodded._

_Sage's hands flatten against his chest. She ran them down to his stomach then to his waist band. Sage brought herself closer to him. She stepped up and pressed her lips against his, surprising him. His hands were back on his waist. The kiss was soft and gentle, just a plain, closed mouth kiss but he was getting hard all over again._

_" I still want to be with you." She whispered against his lips. Daryl opened his eyes and looked at her._

_" These don't bother you?" He asked as they locked eyes._

_" No." She said. _

_He searched her eyes, searched for the lie he was sure she was telling. He was sure she was going to call her friends and laugh at how ugly he was. He narrowed his eyes at her but Sage just smiled. He noticed that she was undoing his belt. His shoulders started to slip. Maybe he could trust her, maybe she wasn't lying. She took his hand and started towards the back of her ground floor apartment. He let her pull him towards her room. When she was close, she turned around and smiled at him. _

_" You sure about this?" He asked._

_" Everyone has something they don't like about themselves." Sage said as she walked backwards._

_" What in the hell do you have that you don't like? You look fuckin perfect to me." He said. Sage shrugged her shoulders._

_" I hate my stomach. I don't have Jillian Michaels' six pack abs no matter how much I run and do sit ups. I hate my short legs and I'm too tiny." She said. Daryl frowned as they walked into her room. Sage laughed and pulled her hand away from his. She pulled her shirt off. His eyes took in her black bra and flat stomach._

_" You're fuckin hot." He said as he harden up right away._

_" I hate my stomach." She said as she covered her stomach with her hands. He reached out and grabbed her by her wrists._

_" Your stomach is hot." He said._

_" To you, you think it's hot but I don't. I think your chest and stomach are..." She blushed but pushed herself because he needed to hear it. " They are amazing." Her voice had dropped and he noticed her blush. She was telling the truth. _

_He put his hands on her sides and pushed her towards her bed. Neither one spoke again. He never thought anyone would ever say anything like that to him. His shyness and self doubt were melting with every step they were taking. He moved until he was right against her. Her eyes were locked with his and she was breathing slowly. She wanted him as much as he wanted her._


	6. Chapter 6

_* Please Review*_

Someone cleared their throat and pulled Daryl out of his memory. He was sitting in his chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and a bowl of stew in his hands. He looked up across the fire pit and met eyes with Sage. She blushed and looked down quickly into her bowl. Daryl frowned and sat back in his chair. Had she been staring at him?

" Sage, do you know where you are sleeping tonight?" Rick asked gently. " I know we have an extra tent, blankets, and pillows. There is also room in the RV." Daryl brought his bowl to his chest and settled better into the chair. He kept his head down but was glancing from Sage to Rick and back again.

" Hershel said I could stay in the house." She said.

" Okay, as long as you have somewhere to go." Rick said. The group finished up their dinner in silence.

XXXXXX

_He was running his hands down her body as they moved together. Sage was laying in a bed with a man on his knees in between her legs. His hands came to rest against her hips. His arms were tense as he helped her move. His mouth was in a tight frown. She arched up her back, closed her eyes, and rode the sensations he was giving her. At her small movement, his head fell back and his mouth fell open. He groaned loudly. Sage grabbed her sheets. Warm waves were moving through her quickly._

_" Oh God..." She moaned out as her eyes closed. _

_The first time a couple has sex together is usually awkward and uncomfortable but he was amazing. He was making her move and moan like no one had ever. He was hitting her outside spot and another spot deep inside her that was making her tremble. Her orgasm was building and building fast. She wasn't going to last with him. She was going cum and she could tell it was going to huge. Mentally she started thanking God for allowing her to actually have an orgasm during sex. Usually she could only have orgasms through oral sex or if a guy used his hand on her but this man... When his hands moved from her hips to her ass the waves started. She was trembling and sweating. Her legs tighten on him, making him swear. He tucked his chin to his chest. Sage's eyes snapped shut as the orgasm blinded her._

_XXXXXX_

His hands. Sage was frowning as she sat on the porch steps and stared at the ground in front of her. She was alone, sitting at the farmhouse. The memory had overcome her while she had been thinking. There was something on his right hand. Something small on the fleshy part between his thumb and first finger.

' What was it? ' She was asking herself.

It was tiny, making a birth mark or a tattoo. His facial features were blurred in her mind as well as any other marks on his chest and stomach. His arms were well defined, as if he worked with them a lot. But was he her boyfriend or a one time thing? She didn't know so she decided to focus on the mark. She squinted her eyes as if that would help clear her head. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear anyone walking by.

Daryl had decided to take a walk after Sage had left the camp. He was walking through the field, holding onto the straps of his cross bow while he thought. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit that he was hoping he'd catch a glimpse of her. That was why he was walking so close to the house. He heard a loud sigh and raised his head up. His steps slowed when he saw her sitting on the steps. Sage was staring straight ahead of her. Her eyes were squinted even though the sun was almost down. Her pretty mouth was set in a frown. Daryl quickly looked around him to see if they were alone.

" Ain't safe out here without a weapon." Daryl's voice brought her out of the past. Sage jumped and looked at him. Suddenly it was hard for her to breath with him staring at her. She forced herself to swallow.

" Oh, I wasn't thinking I guess." She said. She was hoping he thought her cheeks were red from the heat.

" You alright?" He asked as he came closer to her. Sage nodded.

" Yeah. I was just remembering something, I think." She said. He squinted as he tensed up suddenly.

" What was it?" He asked. Daryl came to stand at the end of the stairs. He was frowning as he stared at her.

" Ah, I don't know really." She dropped her eyes and shook her head slightly. " I was with a man but I can't seem to see his face. All I know if he has something, right here." He watched as she pointed to her right hand, right where he had a tattoo on his own hand. He tighten his hold on his cross bow, turning his right hand slightly to hide his mark. " But I don't know what it was. It's like I can't see it." She shook her head more as her shoulders dropped. She finally brought her eyes up to meet his. " This is so hard." Daryl let his breath out slowly. It still bothered him to see her upset, to see her struggling. He moved to sit on the bottom step.

" You ain't rememberin nothin?" He asked. He made sure to keep his tattoo hidden from her. Sage shook her head.

" Nothing. It's just black. I don't even remember you finding me." She said. He leaned forward and nodded.

" Close your eyes." He said. Sage bit the left side of her lip. He made her nervous. She wasn't scared of him, but he was doing something to her stomach. Slowly her eyes shut. " Think back to what you can remember and tell me about it." His voice was low.

" I was with a man and we were..." Sage started blushing. She had always been a blusher, something he had always thought was cute. " Ah..."

" You're a grown up, you can say it." Daryl said.

" We were having sex." Sage admitted. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

' Please let this be me and not some man that came after me.' He silently pleaded.

" Go into the memory, force it to slow down. You're in control. Try to look around the room." He ordered. Sage was squinting again.

" I'm in a bed with a door to my left and a sliding glass door to my right." He nodded as he opened his eyes. She was in her room. " The man is on his knees. He's holding my hips with his head back."

" Focus on his hand." Daryl said softly. It was him she was remembering, he was sure of it. What where the changes she had been with another man who had a tattoo in the same spot he did?

" He has a tattoo on his right bicep." She suddenly said excitedly. Daryl glanced at his own bicep and tattoo. That was the confirmation he needed. She was remembering him.

" You see what it is?" He asked. She shook her head.

" No." She said. Sage opened her eyes and looked at him. " Why can I only see bits and pieces of him? He was important to me, I can tell. I can feel it." Daryl nodded as his jaw clutched.

" You best stop for now. You gonna get a headache if you try too hard to remember shit." He said.

" Yeah, I bet you're right." She said. She tilted her head as her face soften. " So what is it that you do around here?" She asked.

" What are you talkin about?" He asked.

" Well, Rick seems to be the leader with Shane as his right hand man. Lori and Carl are like the first family or something. Dale is like everyone's grandpa. Andrea's the angry one of the group or maybe she just doesn't like me. I don't know how Carol, T-Dog, Glenn, or you fit into the group."

" I hunt and track shit." He said.

" So you keep the group fed." Sage started. Daryl nodded. She smiled and his heart sped up. After a year and a half she still pulled that reaction from him. Why hadn't he just moved with her? They'd still be together had he just stayed calm and listened to her.

" Yeah, I guess so." He said softly.

" You carry everyone. That's a big job." She said. " You must be good at what you do." Daryl shifted in his seat. He didn't like attention, he didn't like it when someone pointed out the good he was doing and she had always done that.

" Bugs gonna come out soon. You best get in before they start bitin you." He said softly. Sage looked across the field and rubbed her arms.

" Yeah." She said. She sighed and looked back at him. " Thank you."

" What hell you thankin me for?" He asked as they started to stand.

" For helping me search through my memory." She said. Daryl frowned but grabbed his strap.

" I didn't do nothin." He said softly. Sage just smiled again.

" You saved me, that's something. Good night, Daryl." She said. He nodded.

" Yeah, night." He said.


	7. Chapter 7

_* Please Review*_

Blue. His eyes were blue.

Sage's eyes snapped opened the next morning with that thought. His eyes were the prettiest blue she had ever seen. She was, or had been, in love with that man at some point in her life, she was sure of it. His eyes made her heart flutter, even in her dreams. His eyes made her stomach with excitement. She stared at the ceiling in the bedroom. Who was he? Where was he? Was he looking for her? She sighed and pushed the blankets off of her. She was going to take a shower then find Rick. She needed to find out what she could do to help the group.

She slipped out of the bed and went to her back pack. She opened the main part of the bag and started pulling out some clothes. Her backpack was big and had three parts to it. She had went through it, hoping to clues to her past, but found nothing but clothes, a toothbrush, and her hair brush. She shook her head as she started gathering things up to take a shower.

XXXXXX

Daryl was laying on his cot staring at the pictures he had taken out of her backpack while she was passed out. He held the pictures above his head with a frown as he shifted through them. Why had she be carrying around pictures of the two of them? He sighed as he moved through each one, remembering when they took them. She had the 20 pictures sealed up in a plastic, zip lock bag. The bag was now laying on his chest.

A few of the pictures she had taken with them laying in her bed. Their heads were tilted together with her holding the camera up. He was frowning and squinting in a lot of them, trying hard to make his meanest faces while she had been smiling or laughing. She had taken some while they were kissing. His favorite picture had to be the one with her sitting on the counter with him standing in between her legs. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and her arms were around his neck. Her chin was resting on his shoulder. He had been holding the camera out. Her eyes were closed and her face was turned towards his. She was nestled into his cheek when he snapped the shot. He remembered that day well...

" Hey." Sage's voice made him jump and drop the pictures. " Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" She was standing outside his tent door. He sat up quickly and started gathering the pictures up before she could see them.

" Didn't scare me." He said without looking at her. " Just most people don't come over to see me, that's all."

" Well, I was asking Rick what I could do to help the group out and he said I should talk to you." Daryl glanced out his tent window, to his left, and met Rick's eyes across the tent. He narrowed his eyes but Rick just nodded. " He said I could gather berries and stuff. He said I should tag along with you when you go out into the woods, that you could show me where everything is."

" Oh yeah? That what he said?" Daryl asked. He started shoving the pictures under his cot.

" You know what, maybe just never mind. I'm sure there is something else I could do." Daryl's head snapped up to her. She was backing away from his tent. Daryl felt bad for snapping at her.

" Wait." He said as he stood up. He sighed and shook his head, ' What the hell am I doin?' He asked himself. " Just let me get ready and we'll head out." Sage smiled and nodded.

" I'll be at the campfire when you're ready." She said.

He put his hand on the back of his neck as he watched her through the tent window. Her hands were clasped in front of her as she walked back towards the center of camp. He narrowed his eyes again and frowned when T-Dog came up to her. Daryl could see T-Dog smiling before he gave Daryl his back. What the hell did that man think he was doing? Daryl angrily started zipping his tent closed so he could change his clothes. He always took his showers at the farm house at night and he had already brushed his teeth. He just needed to get dressed then they could head out.

XXXXXX

When Daryl was walking towards the camp, he saw T-Dog was still talking to Sage. She was standing, facing him, with her hands crossed over her chest. Daryl knew, from her body language, that she was uncomfortable but trying to be polite. When he reached the ring of cars, Daryl set down his cross bow and slipped his flannel shirt on. He glanced down at his buttons then back up that them. T-Dog was smiling and nodded as he talked. Daryl's eyes narrowed even more. When he finished buttoning up his shirt, he grabbed his cross bow and slipped it over his head. He started towards them when Rick stepped in his way.

" She's starting to remember things." Rick said. Daryl nodded and looked past the cop. Rick turned around as they started walking slowly.

" I know, she told me." Daryl said.

" Are you going to tell her anything or wait until it comes slamming back to her?" Rick said.

" Wait." He said, making Rick look at him.

" You think that's a good idea?" Rick asked. Daryl's eyes were set on Sage.

" Think you know her better then I do?" He asked. Rick shook his head.

" Now I'm not saying that, and I don't know what happen between you two but..."

" That's right, you don't, so leave it be." Was all Daryl said before he sped up. Rick stopped walking and sighed. He put his hands on his hips as he watched the hunter walk over to Sage. He was so wrapped up that he didn't notice Lori coming up to him until she slipped her arms around his waist.

" Hey, you okay?" She asked softly. Rick put his arm around her shoulders and nodded.

" Just thinking." He said.

" About her?" Lori asked. Rick nodded again.

" Daryl knows her but he refuses to tell her." He said. Lori looked up at her husband. Rick sighed and looked at her.

" Keep this between us." Rick warned.

" Knows her how?" Lori asked.

" I guess they used to date, he was vague. I don't understand why he won't tell her anything."

" Maybe they had a bad break up. Maybe he's hoping for another shot with her, maybe going to try and make things right between them." Lori said.

" It's hard to image Daryl caring about anything other then his brother or himself." Rick said. Lori kissed his chest.

" He cared about finding Sophia." She reminded him. " Give him time. Maybe he just needs to time to figure out what to say to her." Rick sighed.

" You could be right. Daryl's not the best at expressing himself." He said. Lori nodded, her lips still resting against his chest. " I'm just going to gently push them together. Maybe it will help her memory and help him to fess up to her."


	8. Chapter 8

_* Please Review! Thank you guys for reviewing and adding this story to your list! Thank you for the people that are following me through my stories!*_

_Flashback:_

_He wanted to stay in bed with her. He wanted to sleep with her naked body against him and that was a surprise. Daryl was not a cuddlier. When he slept with a woman, he fucked her, got off and left, not that he had had that many partners. According to his brother, Daryl was down right inexperienced. Daryl had had a few one night stands and even two girlfriends in high school, but he didn't make a habit of doing it. He had a sex drive, it was just never that strong. _

_He had to work early in the morning so he had to go home. Had he known they were going to be having sex, he would have packed a bag but since he had no work clothes with him, he had to go home. She laid in her bed with her eyes closed while he got dressed. When he was finished, he turned and looked at her. Sage had turned over onto her stomach and was smiling at him._

_" I will walk you out." She said._

_" Like that? You tryin to get me in fights?" Daryl asked. She linked her ankles together and started swing her legs slightly._

_" With who?" She asked._

_" Any man within viewin distance of you." He said. _

_She laughed and rolled over onto her back. She grabbed her clothes and stood up to get dressed. His eyes were trained on her body, following her every move. He was buttoning up his flannel shirt while he watched her get dressed. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. He didn't want to leave her. Maybe he'd run home, pack a bag and come back. He was hoping Merle was passed out because Daryl didn't want to listen to his mouth. Merle hadn't shut up about Sage since Daryl started seeing her. He was always making fun of Daryl for seeing her. Merle didn't believe in dating or having girlfriends._

_Sage and Daryl were walking outside to his truck after she was dressed. They were holding hands with their fingers interlaced. When she had taken his hand that time, Daryl hadn't been so shocked. He had locked his fingers with hers the second she touched him. He was smiling to himself as she rested her head against his shoulder._

_" Maybe next time you could plan on sleeping over." She said shyly when they reached his truck. Daryl turned to lean against it. He pulled her to him, forcing her to open her legs for him. His hands came to rest against her hips. Her hands came up to his chest as she smiled. He nodded._

_" Could do that." He said._

_" You're not going to disappear on me, are you?" Sage asked. Daryl frowned at her question. _

_" Who in their right mind would disappear on you?" He asked._

_" It has happen. I don't have the best luck with guys." Sage said._

_" That's cause you ain't been with a man. You been with boys." Daryl said, making Sage smile._

_" Well, you could go home and grab some things then come back for the night or, better yet, I could grab some stuff and come to sleep at your place." She offered. Daryl's hands dropped from her body as he shook his head. _

_" No." Last thing he wanted was for her to see where he lived. _

_XXXXXX_

He was too aware of her walking beside him. Daryl had his cross bow up and ready, and was trying to pay attention to what was going on around them, but she was standing close to him. It was distracting him. When she had driving away from him that day, he never thought he'd see her again. Now she was standing at his side and had no clue who he was.

" Daryl?" Sage's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. " I was wondering if you could take me to the place you found me at? Maybe it will jog my memory." He nodded.

" Might help."

Daryl wasn't sure he wanted her to remember the past. Then she would remember what he did, she will remember that she thought he had cheated on her with a stripper and how he had made her cry. Daryl sighed as they walked. He had made her cry and hurt her. That had stuck with him. When he was alone, he kept seeing her in her car with tears running down her face. He frowned and tighten his hold on his cross bow. He had hurt the only person in the world that cared about him, that really cared about him. He had hurt the only person who ever did nice things for him and he wasn't sure he wanted her to remember him.

When revisiting the spot they had met up at did nothing for Sage, she followed him to a spot where Daryl knew there were berries and mushrooms. She had a small basket with her, and after Daryl showed her which berries were safe to eat, she began to fill it. He watched over her and the scene around them. He shot a few squirrels and had even managed to catch a rabbit. He field dressed it where she couldn't see. He had tried to take her hunting once and she all but threw up. She wasn't patient enough to wait for the game and she didn't want to see him gutting anything. After a while Daryl told her it was time to head back to camp. They walked in silence for a while before she spoke again.

" So where were you when this outbreak happen?" Sage asked.

" I was workin on my truck when my brother came home. He said he saw some people attackin and eatin others but I didn't believe him." He said.

" Yeah, it is sort of hard to believe." She said. Daryl nodded.

" Thought maybe Merle,"

" What did you say his name was?" Sage interrupted quickly. Daryl looked to his right side at her. She was frowning up at him.

" Merle." He said. She sighed and looked straight ahead of them.

" I feel like I know that name." She said. Daryl nodded slowly and looked away from her.

" I thought Merle was on one of his drunk and drugged up sprees so I didn't believe him. Then the radio kicked on and I heard the reports so we packed up and took off for the hills." Daryl said.

" And where is your brother now?" She asked.

" Don't know. We got separated." He said softly.

" Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Sage said as she laid a hand on his arm. He looked at her quickly. Only Sage touched him casually. She smiled slightly and slowly let go of his arm. They looked away at the same time. They fell into silence again. " I think I knew a Merle once. I feel like we didn't like each other very much."

She was right. They hated each other. Sage felt like Merle was mean to Daryl and took advantage of him. He always needed Daryl to do things for him or take him places. He had a way of interrupting them or ruining their plans. Daryl knew she was right but what could he do? Merle was his older brother, his only living kin and he was sick. Daryl felt like he had to take care of him. Merle hated Sage because Daryl spent so much time with her. He always yelled at Daryl, telling him he was whipped and nothing but a bitch for following a pair of tits around.

" Maybe it's best you don't remember him then." He said. Sage nodded and didn't speak again until they reached the field leading to their camp.

" I feel like Little Red Riding Hood. I have this basket of stuff and you're a hunter." She stopped walking and looked at him. Daryl squinted in the sun as he looked down at her. " I remember that fairy tale. It's my favorite one I think." It was. She had told Daryl that once. She had said that when she was a little girl she had hoped that one day she'd grow up and find herself a hunter. She never wanted Prince Charming, she wanted a hunter. Then she smiled at him and ran her hands through his hair and said,

" And now I have one." Daryl had smiled and pulled her close to him.

' And now I have one.' Started echoing through his mind as they started walking again. She had found her hunter and fate had brought him back his Little Red Riding Hood.


	9. Chapter 9

_* Please Review!*_

Daryl and Sage had just reached the middle of the field when Shane joined them. Daryl tensed up right away. He didn't like the way Shane was smiling at her. Something was going on with him but Daryl couldn't figure it out. Shane had shaved off all his hair and had been fighting with Rick a lot. Something was going wrong inside the man's head.

" Hey there, Sage. Did you find anything good?" He asked when he reached the couple.

" Ah, I guess so." She said shyly. The three had stopped walking. Daryl shouldered his animals as he squinted his eyes.

" Can I see what you got? Maybe I could help you clean them." Shane said.

" Oh well, it's just berries and some mushrooms. It's really not hard to clean." She said. Shane laughed and smiled.

" Come on, let me help you." He said as he slipped his arm across her shoulders. Anger shot through Daryl but he let Shane led her away. She glanced over her shoulder at him but Daryl turned away and quickly moved to his tent.

He didn't see her again until dinner time. She slipped into a chair that sat directly across from him and the fire. He cleared his throat and sat back in his chair with a bowl of food. They both lifted their eyes at the same time. Their gaze met and held. Daryl watched as her lips parted slightly. Her face drained of color and he knew she was holding her breath. He dropped his eyes quickly. It only took a few more minutes before Sage jumped up and thanked them for dinner. He looked up at her as she quickly left the group.

XXXXXX

Sage was pacing in her room inside the farmhouse. She'd stop walking and look out the window towards the camp then she'd start pacing again. How had she not noticed Daryl's eyes before. She shook her head. She knew how, because he hardly ever met her eyes full on and if he did, he'd look away from her quickly. He was the man from her dreams, the man she was remembering. But if he knew her then why didn't he say anything to her?

XXXXXX

A week went by before Sage rejoined the camp. She had kept herself busy at the farmhouse while she tried to sort out her thoughts. Sage had been trying hard to remember something about Daryl but there was just nothing. Her stomach was in knots as she crossed the field. She was going to talk to him. She needed answered and he might be the one who had them.

" Daryl?" Sage asked as she came up to his back. He was walking back to his tent and didn't stop at her voice.

" Huh?" He asked.

" Can we talk?" She asked. A week of nothing from her and now she wanted to talk to him. He was trying not to be angry with her.

" Bout what?" He asked. She suddenly rushed forward and stepped in front of him. Daryl was startled and stopped walking. Her eyes were boring into his.

" You're him, aren't you?" She asked softly.

" Who?" He asked.

" The man from my memories." Suddenly it was hard for him to breath. A lump jumped right into his throat.

" What the hell you talkin bout?" He asked. He was speaking as softly as she was.

" Your eyes. They're blue." She said.

" Lot of men have blue eyes." He said. Sage shook her head.

" Not like yours." She said.

Daryl frowned but didn't say anything. Their eyes were still locked together when she reached up to his cross bow strap and took a hold of his right hand. He tighten his hold on the strap but when she tugged on him, Daryl let her pull his hand away. She brought his hand to her and finally dropped her eyes. Her fingers gently touched the tattoo she found there. She was holding her breath again. He watched as she started to bite her lower lip.

She moved his arm so she could see up the length of it. Slowly her fingers started to trail their way up his arm. Her eyes were following their movement while his eyes were on her face. Her fingers finally touched the tattoo on his bicep. She swallowed hard and started breathing again. Her fingers traced the tattoo. He frowned and waited for her memories to come rushing back. Sage shook her head and finally looked at his face.

" Why didn't you tell me?" She asked.

" Ain't nothin to tell." He said as he took his arm back. He started pass her but Sage turned and went after him.

" Yes, there is. You know me. We had sex, at least once, so you had to know something about me." She said. Daryl quicken his pace.

" Lots of people have sex, doesn't mean they know or care about each other." He said.

" That's not true, I mean it is, but not with us. You meant something to me, I know you did. Please, help me." She begged. He shook his head.

" We just had sex. Ain't like we were married or somthin." He said. Sage stopped walking and clasp a hold of her left arm with her right hand.

" Daryl please." Her voice was soft and pulled at him. Daryl stopped walking and closed his eyes. " I don't even know my last name." Daryl's shoulders dropped as he shook his head.

" Collins." He said. He opened his eyes and glanced over his right shoulder. " Your last name is Collins." Sage swallowed again and started laughing. Daryl frowned and turned around. He put his hands on his hips. " What are you laughin at?"

" I have a last name. I'm like a real person now." She said.

" Don't need a last name to be a real person. You're standing here, livin and breathin, ain't you? You're real." He said. Sage shook her head.

" No, you don't understand. I have nothing. I know nothing about myself. My entire life fits into a backpack. Even if we just had sex once, you know more about me than I do. You know my last name, that means we had to talk, at least for a little while. Just please, " She paused as she shook her head. " Help me, tell me something about me, anything." Daryl sighed as his jaws clutched. She was right.

" Come on. Don't need to talk bout this where other people can hear us." She smiled as her body relaxed.

" Thank you." She said. He nodded quickly and turned to head to his tent when shouts rang out through the camp.

" People!" Dale yelled out. " There are people coming!" Daryl looked back at Sage who was looking towards the road. Finding people were not always a good thing.

" Go wait in my tent. I'll be there soon as I can." He said.

" Then we'll talk?" Sage asked. Daryl nodded.

" Then we'll talk." He confirmed.

XXXXXX

Daryl shifted his weight from one leg to the other as he waited with Rick, Shane, Glenn, Dale, and T-Dog. They watched as two cars pulled up to the camp. A few men got out and started towards them. Daryl's group was tense as they watched and waited. Shane was frowning and gripping his shot gun. Rick was standing ahead of everyone with his hands on his hips. T-Dog was standing back with Daryl, Glenn and Dale.

" Can I help you?" Rick asked.

" I sure hope so. I'm looking for a girl and wondering if you have come across her." A bad feeling started in Daryl's stomach as he squinted his eyes.

" What's she look like?" Rick asked.

" She's tiny. 5 Ft 1 In, about 115 pounds, long dark hair." The man said.

" That sounds like Sage." Glenn spoke up.

" What the hell, man!" T-Dog hissed as he hit the kid's arm. Daryl shook his head and his frown deepen as he looked at Glenn.

" Sage, that's her name!" The man said excitedly. " She's here then?"

" She is but can you tell me how you know her?" Rick asked.

" You mean she hasn't spoken about me?" The man asked. Rick shook his head.

" No. She lost her memory." He said. The man nodded.

" Well, she's my wife." He said. All the wind rushed out of Daryl quickly. He felt like someone had hit him in the gut and almost bent over to catch his breath. He closed his eyes and forced himself to swallow so he didn't throw up.


	10. Chapter 10

_* Please Review!*_

The men didn't notice Daryl when he slipped away. He crossed the field, walking towards his tent. He was ignoring Lori and Andrea as they called out to him. He just needed to talk to her, needed to see her. He took a hold of the straps across his chest, holding onto his cross bow comforted him. It helped him to refocus. He took a deep breath as he came to the door of his tent. She was sitting on his cot, looking through their pictures. He cursed silently. He had been looking at them earlier in the day and had forgotten to put them away. Sage was frowning as she slowly moved through each picture.

" Sage." He said. Her head snapped up and she looked at him through the mesh that was his tent door.

" Where did these come from?" She asked.

" Took them out of your backpack when I found you." He said.

" Why?" Daryl shook his head but didn't answer her. He had no answer for her. " We didn't just have sex, did we? We won't have take these pictures if we were just sleeping together. We were a couple, won't we?" Sage asked. He sighed and looked towards the field. The men were moving towards them. "Daryl?" He looked back at her and nodded.

" We were." Sage frowned as she shook her head.

" Why didn't you ever tell me? Why did you keep this from me?" She asked as she stood up. She was holding the pictures against her stomach.

" Sage?" Rick's voice reached her a second before she saw him. Daryl moved out of the way slightly. "There's someone here to see you." The man who claimed to be her husband stepped forward with a smile and Daryl wanted to stab him in the throat. His mouth went tight as his eyes narrowed.

" Hi, Sweetheart." The man said. Daryl tighten his hold on the straps to keep from launching at him and wrapping his hands around his neck.

" Who are you?" She asked.

" It's me, Mike, your husband." Mike said. Sage shook her head slowly.

" I don't know you." She said.

" It's okay. I can prove that I know you." Mike said.

" How?" She asked.

" You have a tiny tattoo right here." Daryl's eyes followed Mike's hand as he pointed low on his stomach. Daryl's stomach contracted. It was so low that only someone who had seen her naked or at least in her panties, would know she had a tattoo there. " It's time to go home, Sweetheart. We have a little one waiting for us."

That was it for Daryl. He walked away without another word. He couldn't hear anymore. One of his worst fears had just come true. She had been intimate with another man and married. She even had a baby with someone else. He disappeared into the woods. His face was dark, his mouth was tight and his stomach was upset. He moved silently.

XXXXXX

No one noticed him at the edge of the woods. No one noticed him watching as she walked out of the farmhouse with her backpack. His face was hard and his eyes were shut down when she climbed into the backseat with her husband and another man. He was forcing himself to take slow, deep breaths to calm himself. For the second time, Daryl watched her drive away from him. For the second time Daryl let his pride let her go.

As soon as the cars disappeared from sight, Daryl started back to his tent. He was going inside and not going to come out for a while. The group could go hungry for a night, he could care less. When Rick said his name, Daryl ignored him and kept walking. The cop knew better than to push the hunter. Daryl needed his own space, it was written all over his face. He moved to his tent and unzipped the door.

When he went inside, he turned around and zipped it close again. He slipped his cross bow off and set it on the ground. He walked to his cot and sat down. He picked up their pictures where she had left them then laid down. He held them above his face and started looking through them again. He frowned and started flipping through them faster. Some were missing, she had taken a few of his favorites. He sighed and dropped his hands to his chest.

XXXXXX

Mike's arm was around the back of seat and he was smiling as they drove. Sage felt uneasy and wished she had fought to stay at the camp site. She clasped her hands together and stared at her lap. Why hadn't Daryl came and said goodbye to her? He had disappeared and never returned. She frowned as she thought back to him. He was the key to her past, she felt it. Mike may be her husband but she felt nothing towards him. She at least felt a pull towards Daryl. She sighed as she shook her head. Why hadn't he come for her?

The ride didn't take long so Sage was hopeful that she could go back to the camp when she wanted. She could try and go back the next day to talk to Daryl about her past. She sat up straight, suddenly concerned with the complex in front of her. Mike had said they had a little one waiting for her. What was she going to do with a little one? She didn't know the first thing to being a mom. How old was this little one? How could she have a child and not remember it?

" Excited, Sweetheart?" Mike asked as he took her hand.

" I'm not sure. I'm nervous. I can't remember anything." She said when the car stopped.

" Oh don't worry, I will help you remember." He said.

Mike was out of the car first. He reached in and held his hand down to Sage. She frowned slightly but slipped her hand into his. Mike smiled again as he pulled her out the car. She took her hand back and slipped her backpack onto her back. She just wanted to get inside and look at the pictures she had taken from Daryl. She was sure if she stared at them long enough, it would trigger something.

Sage followed Mike inside the complex. He lead her down a hallway and Sage noticed there were jail cells lining each side of her. She started to get nervous, something wasn't right. Mike stopped at a cell and took out a key. He unlocked the door then faced Sage with a smile. She glanced behind him and met eyes with a little girl who couldn't be more then 13.

" What is going on?" Sage asked when she looked back at Mike who smiled and pulled out a gun from his back.

" Welcome home, Sweetheart." He said a second before his gun made contact with the side of her head. Blackness surrounded her at once.

XXXXXX

It was in the middle of the night when an idea pulled Daryl from his sleep. Mike was lying. Sage wasn't wearing a wedding ring. She hated to called Sweetheart, hated it. She never let anyone call her that and had told him many times how much she hated that nick name. They had only been apart a year and half, a year and half. Sage would never have married a man that fast. She had to have met him as soon as she moved and started dating him right away and Daryl knew better. She didn't move that fast. She won't have married someone that fast, he kept repeating. He found her not far from where he was now so that meant she had to be close. He was going after her, something wasn't right and he was going to find out what it was. If nothing else, if she was really married with a child, Daryl would know then. He would know and he could live with that. He wanted a chance to explain himself and wanted to make sure she was okay, then he would leave if she wanted him too. If she didn't want him to leave, he smiled in the darkness. Well, he'd deal with that in his own way.


	11. Chapter 11

_* Please Review*_

When Sage opened her eyes, the pain in her head snapped them shut again. Someone was running their fingers through her hair. Her stomach rolled so she started taking deep breaths. She was praying she wouldn't throw up. She opened her eyes again and looked into the face of the young girl who was holding her head. The little girl was crying quietly. Sage shut her eyes again as her life rushed back to her.

XXXXXX

" Rick, think about it. Remember everything we went through to find Sophia and look how that turned out. Do you really want to put the group through that again? We don't even know this girl." Shane said softly to Rick.

" I ain't askin you to go." Daryl said as he came up on the two men. He was slipping his crossbow onto his back.

" All I'm saying is we don't even know this girl and you want to go storming through the woods after her and her husband. What the hell, man?" Shane asked.

" I know her." Daryl said. The sun was bright and he was squinting slightly again. " I know her and he ain't her husband." They were standing by Rick's car.

" Listen, Shane, we aren't asking you to come but I'm going with Daryl. That Mike wasn't sitting well with me and I was up all night. I want to make sure she's okay." Rick said. Shane shook his head and looked at Daryl.

" How do you know her?" Shane asked.

" She used to be my girlfriend. I used to date her." Daryl said. Shane sighed and looked at Rick than back at Daryl.

" You sure about this? You sure he isn't her husband?" Shane asked. Daryl nodded, it was sharp and quick.

" If nothing else we can just say we wanted to make sure she's okay." Rick said. Shane shook his head again.

" Well, you know I'm not letting you go at this alone. Let's get some horses and head out." He said.

XXXXXX

Daryl was surprised that T-Dog offered to come too. Hershel loaned them all horses and they set off in the direction the car had left. Daryl paid attention to the tire marks. It wasn't hard for him to follow them and after an hour of travel time, a huge complex came into view. There were two men on the roof, walking slowly around with guns.

" What the hell is going on?" Shane whispered to his group.

" Somthin ain't right." Daryl said softly.

" Maybe they are just on watch for walkers. Let's just walk calmly so they don't open fire on us." Rick said.

Carefully the four men crept up to the complex. The men on the roof had walked to back of the complex and hadn't seen them. Daryl reached the door first and carefully pulled it open. He had his cross bow up and ready to fire if need be. Something wasn't sitting well in his stomach. He didn't think it was as easy as Rick said, he didn't think they were on the watch for walkers.

They started down the first hallway they found. It went off to the left and the first thing the four noticed was the jail cells. The complex was silent and all four were tensed and ready for action. They walked down the hallway until they came to the last cell on the right. There, huddled on a cot, was Sage and a young girl. Slowly Sage's eyes lifted and met Daryl's.

" Daryl." She said in surprised. She nudged the girl to sit up.

" What the hell is goin on? Why are you in there?" He asked. She quickly crossed the cell and grabbed the bars.

" It's Mike. He's not a good guy." She said. Shane and T-Dog were looking down the hall, keeping watch.

" Why would your husband lock you in here?" T-Dog asked. Sage's eyes were locked on Daryl's.

" He's not my husband." She said softly. Daryl frowned as she swallowed hard. " I remember you." She whispered. His stomach dropped.

" What do you remember?" Rick asked.

" Everything. I remember the outbreak, how I came here, what Mike has done, and I remember," She paused as tears came to her eyes. " you." Daryl's mouth went tight. There was so much he wanted to say to her but nothing was coming out. " Did you come for me?" She asked. He nodded.

" Somthin didn't set right with his story." He said.

" I hate being called Sweetheart." She said. He nodded again. " I didn't know him before the outbreak. I don't have a kid with him."

" Look, I'm glad you got your memory back and all but we need to figure out what's going on here and how to get you out of there." Shane said. Sage reached her hand towards Daryl who took it right away.

" His office is two stories up. He keeps the key to the cell in his desk but I'm not sure where." She said.

" He been hurtin you?" Daryl asked. Sage nodded slowly. " That's how he knew bout your tattoo." She nodded again and Daryl tighten his hold on her without thinking. " He ain't gonna touch you again."

" Look, we are going to get you out of here then figure out what's going on." Rick said.

" You gonna be just fine." Daryl said. The girl behind Sage shifted, pulling his eyes to her. " Who's that?'

" Her name is Sammie. They found her on a supply run once." Sage said. Sammie slowly came forward until she was behind Sage. She took a hold of Sage's shirt.

" They been at her too?" Daryl asked as the girl rested her head against Sage's back. Sage nodded but didn't speak. Daryl frowned and narrowed his eyes.

" Just get us out of here, please. But be careful, they will shoot you if they see you." Sage said. Daryl's nod was sharp and he started to pull his hand away. Sage quickly tighten her hold on him. She pulled him closer to her. " Don't leave me here." Daryl's hand went into through the bar to the back of her neck. He leaned his head down so both their foreheads were resting against the bars. He stared hard into her eyes.

" I ain't letting you get away from me again." He said. She took a hold of his wrist.

" I'm still in love with you." She whispered. Daryl closed his eyes and nodded.

" We need to go and look for this key." Rick said softly. Daryl sighed and opened his eyes. He pulled away and looked at her. His hand moved to her cheek. He touched it lightly.

" It's gonna be fine. Everythin is gonna be just fine." He said.

" I believe you." She said. They looked at each other for a few more seconds. His eyes searching hers.

" I didn't cheat on you. I shouldn't have let you drive away that day." He said.

" Go and get the key. We will talk later." Sage said.


	12. Chapter 12

_* Please Review*_

_When Daryl told her lived in a trailer that he owned on land he had bought, her face had fallen, making his stomach dropped. He hadn't wanted to tell her but she just didn't understand why she couldn't come to his house for him to pack up a bag. She looked sad as she crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. He expected her to turn and walk away from him. He knew what people, girls, thought about other who lived in trailers._

_" Of course." She muttered._

_" What?" Daryl was mad right away. Anger was what protected him from really feeling anything._

_" Well, you own a piece of land, you own a trailer, a truck and a bike. All I have is my apartment that I rent and a car that I don't even own. I mean, I will own it but not for four more years. You have all this stuff and I have nothing." Daryl frowned in shock. _

_" What the hell you talkin about? I live in a trailer with my brother who is drunk of drugged up most of the time." He said._

_" But you OWN it. You OWN the land it sits on. You OWN your truck, you OWN your bike. It doesn't matter if it's a trailer, don't you see that? It's something you own, personally." Sage said. Daryl's arm shot out and went around her waist. He yanked her towards him hard and kissed her._

_" You're fuckin amazin." He muttered against her lips._

_As they drove to his trailer, Daryl was getting more and more nervous. She seemed impressed that he owned the trailer but to Daryl, it was just a trailer. He had bought it for 2000 dollars and had been fixing it up himself but it was still just a trailer. When he pulled into the dirt parking spot he used, he noticed Merle's truck and knew he was home. He shut off his truck and sighed, placing his hands on the steeling wheel._

_" Look, do me a favor. Just stay here. I'll be five minutes, just gonna grab my shit and be out." He said as he looked at her._

_" Daryl, I don't care that it's a trailer. I don't care what it looks like inside." Sage said._

_" It ain't...it ain't like that." He started. Sage tilted her head as she waited for him to continued. " It's my brother. He's...he ain't nice, that's all." Sage could tell how uncomfortable he was._

_" I will be right here." She said. Daryl's shoulders fell as the tension left him._

_" 5 minutes." He said._

_XXXXXX_

_Thankfully, Merle was passed out on the couch with beer cans laying on all over the floor. He frowned and quickly went to the back of the trailer to his room. He grabbed a pair of work pants and a button down shirt before he moved to his laundry basket. He yanked up a pair of socks and boxers then went to the bathroom. He grabbed his toothbrush. He looked at himself in the mirror and actually smiled._

_" Perk up, man. You just had good sex and got a hot girl outside waitin for you. You're goin back to her place for the night and gonna fuck her good again. Perk up." He said. He laughed before he walked out of the bathroom. _

_XXXXXX_

Carefully and quietly the men moved through the complex. They all had their weapons up and ready. They were looking around, listening to every sound they could hear. They moved as one unit up the stairs and found Mike's office quickly. Daryl's stomach was warning him. Things were moving along to easily. He was on edge and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

T-Dog searched the desk while the other men stayed on watch. The key was located inside the top drawer. Daryl narrowed his eyes as T-Dog picked it up. It was almost like the key was placed there. Something was not right. His mouth tightened but he slowly moved his bottom jaw back and forth, something he did when he was nervous. They started down the stairs again. He wanted to get to Sage and get her out of the jail.

They ran quickly down the hallway towards the cell again. Daryl took the key from T-Dog and unlocked the cell. Sage rushed him as soon as the door was open. His arms went around her waist while hers went around his neck. Daryl picked her and held her tightly. Sage closed her eyes to enjoy him more. She never thought she'd have him hold her again.

" You gonna be alright now." He whispered.

" I never thought I'd see you again." Sage whispered. Slowly he started to set her down. They pulled away enough to look at each other. They were pressed firmly together.

" You gonna bring the girl with us?" He whispered.

" Yeah, we just need to grab our back packs." She whispered.

' Tell her. Tell you love her, dummy.' His mind screamed at him. She could see the wrestle going on behind his eyes. ' Swallow your stupid, fuckin pride.'

" I hate to break this hallmark moment up, but we need to move." Shane hissed.

' I love you.' Daryl mouthed quickly. Sage closed her eyes as a lump went into her throat. She nodded and fought her tears.

" I love you too." She whispered. Daryl patted her lower back.

" Get your bags and the girl. Shane's right. We gotta go." He said. Sage looked at him before she pulled away.

" Come on, Sammie." She said as she faced the young girl who was shaking her head.

" We can't leave. They will find us, you know they will." Sammie said. Sage moved to her quickly. She put her hands on either side of the girl's face and stared hard into her eyes.

" We have something we didn't have before. These men aren't like Mike's men. We are going to go with them and be safe. I promise you. I have been where they are taking us. No one is going hurt us there." Sage reassured her.

Sammie looked uncertain but did as Sage asked. They grabbed their backpacks then faced the group. Daryl held his hand out to Sage who smiled. She moved to him and slipped her hand into his. Her other hand gripped Sammie's. Shane and Rick took the lead. Daryl, Sage, and Sammie were next. T-Dog followed behind to watch their backs. Almost home free.

Daryl had plans for him and Sage when they got back to camp. He wanted to lay with her, wanted to take her hard and fast but knew they had things to talk about first. Things needed to be said and heard from both of them. He wanted her to understand what had happen at the strip club. He needed to tell her how sorry he was for letting her leave and most of all, she needed to know how much he loved her still. That hadn't changed in their time apart. There had not been a moment where she had left his thoughts. When the world had fallen apart she had been what he worried about. He hadn't cared about the group or Merle, not really. He cared about what had happen to her. He had prayed she had found safety, it had been the only thing in the world he had ever prayed for. He realized all his anger and aggression had come from his worry for her.


	13. Chapter 13

_* Please Review*_

They made it to the doors of the complex without seeing anyone. They opened the doors, and were getting ready to step out, when they were greeted by Mike and four of his men. The men had their guns up and pointed at Rick's group. Mike was standing in the center of the men. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a smile on his face.

" Well what do we have here?" He asked.

" It's not what it looks like." Rick started. Daryl's hand tightened on Sage's. She, in turn, pulled Sammie closer to her.

" It looks like you are stealing from me. Please, come outside and explain." Mike said. Slowly Rick's group stepped outside and formed a single file line expect Daryl kept Sage behind him.

" You can't steal people." T-Dog said.

" Well, I own Sage and Sammie so yeah, you are stealing from me. Now, if you want to make a trade with me, I'm willingly to listen." Mike said.

" A trade?" Rick asked.

" Since the world ended men only need a few things. Food, medical supplies and women to fuck. See those jail cells used to be filled with women but I have traded them all away for other things we needed. I kept Sage and Sammie because, well I'm sure I don't need to tell your cross bow man over there, but Sage is a good fuck." Mike said. Daryl dropped her hand and brought his cross bow up in one fluid motion.

" You best shut the hell up!" He yelled, making Mike smile more.

" My men tell me Sammie is pretty good, nice and tight." Mike said. Sammie started to cry so Sage pulled her closer and put her arm around the little girl's shoulders. " Like I said, I am willingly to make a trade for her though. Since they are the last two I have, I'm going to need something big."

" Like what?" Rick asked.

" A car or truck, some guns." Mike said.

" Can we talk about this for a minute?" Shane spoke up.

" Ain't nothin to talk about it. Give them what they want." Daryl said quickly.

" I'm going to give you 5 minutes but we are watching. If you try to sneak away, we will shoot you." Mike said. He and his men started backing up. Rick, T-Dog, Shane, and Daryl came together. Daryl took Sage's hand again and pulled her close.

" We ain't havin this discussion. I'm givin them my truck and shot gun. We gonna give them whatever they want and that's that." Daryl said. Shane met Rick's eyes.

" We don't even know these girls." Shane said.

" Shane, man..." T-Dog started. Shane threw his hand up to silence the man.

" I'm sure Sage can understand how important guns are now-a-days." Shane said as he looked at her.

" Oh yeah, Shane. I get it." She spit out.

" We ain't talkin about this. Y'all left my brother to die on a roof top, you ain't doin this to me again. We are gonna give them what they want and bring my woman and her friend home." Daryl said before he walked away. He was starting towards Mike to make his offer.

" Rick, come on here, man. You really want to give up Daryl's truck and some guns for girls we don't even know?" Shane asked softly.

" What do you want me to do, Shane? They are people, she is his ex girlfriend and he cares about her." Rick said.

" I don't agree with this." Shane said.

" So you are going to give us your truck and one gun?" Mike asked with an amused expression on his face.

" And my gun." T-Dog said as he came forward.

" What the hell?" Shane asked as he threw his hands into the air.

" So a truck and two guns?" Mike asked.

" Truck runs good, has a full tank of gas." Daryl said.

" I want the rounds to both guns." Mike said.

" Un-fuck-ing believable." Shane muttered.

" You have yourself a deal." Mike said with a smile. " Now we know where you guys are staying at. So I'm going to give you until night fall to return with my truck, guns and ammo or we are coming for you and shooting up your camp."

" Now how do we know you aren't going to do that anyway?" Rick asked.

" Because, I'm a business man and I have made a deal. Now go, I want my shit." Mike said.

XXXXXX

No one said a thing as they walked back to the camp. Daryl had a death grip on Sage while she was holding Sammie. When the camp came into sight, the group broke apart. Daryl moved towards his tent with Sage and Sammie. He needed to clean out his truck. He didn't care about losing it or his gun. She was back in his life. When he reached the tent, he unzipped it and pulled the girls inside. He let go of Sage and faced her.

" When I get back you and me gonna talk bout things." He said as he slipped his cross bow off. She nodded

" Be careful, please." Sage said. Daryl's eyes shifted to Sammie who was staring at the ground.

" Introduce her to Carol. Think they might take to each other." He said softly. Sage nodded.

" Yeah, okay." She said.

" I need to clean out my truck." Daryl said.

Neither one moved for a few minutes. He finally put one hand against the back of her neck and brought his mouth down to hers. He kissed her slowly, letting his tongue taste her. Her small tongue twisted around his. He groaned softly then pulled away. They looked at each other carefully. She smiled at him.

" I always had hope we'd find each other again." Sage said softly.

" Ain't ever gonna be a need to find each other. We ain't breaking up again. It was a mistake and I ain't lettin that happen again." He said with a frown. Sage took a deep breath and nodded.

" I will be right here when you get back." She said.

" Then we gonna talk." He said.

" Then we are going to talk." She promised.


	14. Chapter 14

_* Please Review. BeingLolaStar: Daryl wanted to do what he had to do to get out of there with Sage. Daryl knew it was his temper that made him lose her in the first place so he's trying to keep it under control. But don't let the mood turn you off from the story. I have a plan.*_

Rick and T-dog went with Daryl to drop off his truck, the guns and the ammo. The exchange went well and without incident. Daryl still felt like something else was going on. The three men made their way back to camp without one word exchanged between them. Daryl was hoping he was going to be able to get Sage alone so they could talk. When the camp came into view he notice she was sitting by the fire by herself. He quicken his steps. When he had almost reached her, she looked up and smiled at him.

" Hi." Sage said as she stood up.

" Hey. Where's that little girl at?" He asked.

" With Carol. She took her to the farmhouse to shower."

" Might as well talk while we can." Daryl said.

" Want to go to your tent?" Sage asked. Daryl nodded.

He was looking around the camp as they walked. He didn't want to see Shane. He knew the cop was mad about the trade off and Daryl knew if he caught Shane sending Sage any dirty looks he was going to get in his face. Shane didn't want to help with anything. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Shane was the last thing he needed to be thinking about.

Sage followed him into the tent. Daryl zipped it shut after she was completely in. Sage walked over to his cot and sat down. Daryl slipped his cross bow off and sat down beside her. Sage was facing him, sitting on one of her legs. Daryl set his cross bow on the floor and leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. He was staring straight ahead of him.

" I want to start." Sage said. Daryl nodded without looking at her. " So when I got to Ohio, I started working in a school right away but I hated it. I hated the kids, the school system, everything. I think I just missed you so much that I couldn't enjoy anything. I couldn't stop thinking about you with that naked girl and I cried all the time." Daryl closed his eyes and shook his head. " About a month before the outbreak I decided to leave Ohio and come back. I packed everything up and drove back. I had found a place online and got a job as a waitress." Daryl opened his eyes and looked at her.

" Why didn't you call me?" He asked.

" I was going to, I wanted too, but I was scared and I was angry. I thought you might be dating that girl or you might scream at me and then the outbreak happen."

" How did you Mike find you?" Daryl asked.

" I was hiding out inside a cabin I found. He said he had some place safe with running water and supplies. So I went with him. He fed me and let me shower. I didn't see the jail cells at first. I went to sleep in one of the rooms he showed me but when I woke up, some of his men were over me and I was thrown in the cell with Sammie." Sage explained. Daryl looked away and exhaled slowly. It was his turn to talk and he was freezing up. He closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat.

" I didn't cheat on you with her. I wasn't even payin attention to her. I ain't stop thinkin about how I should have went with you. I let my temper ruin the best thing that happen to me." He said softly. There was so much more he wanted to say.

" Look, we could spend all night rehashing the past but life right now is to short and unpredictable for that. We both screwed up. I should have told you what I wanted to do, you should have listened to me. We are both sorry so can we just move on and be together now?" Sage asked. Slowly Daryl looked at her.

" That what you want? You want to try this again?" He asked. Sage nodded. Daryl reached forward and took her hand. He started rubbing the top of her hand without looking at her. " Gonna be better this time, I promise."

" It was good before." She said softly. Daryl nodded.

" Yeah." Sage leaned forward and rested her free hand against his chest. She gave him a light kiss. "I got my temper under control better." He whispered against her mouth. Sage moved closer to him and kissed him again.

" Yeah?" She whispered as she tilted her head slightly.

" Yeah." He whispered. When she kissed him again, he brought his hands to her sides.

" I've missed you." She whispered before she kissed him again, that time she let her tongue glide over his bottom lip.

" Missed you." He whispered. He pulled her into his lap. Her finger tips came to his neck as they deepen the kissing. He started kneading her lower back as she slowly started thrusting against him.

" I was dreaming about you when I was here." She turned her head and kissed him again.

" Killed me that you didn't know me." He whispered before he kissed her again. " Think you can sneak away from that girl and spend the night with me?"

" I don't know. She doesn't sleep the night through. Neither of us do." She whispered. They made out as slowly as they could. Their tongues moving against one another while they thrust gently. He wanted her so bad he couldn't think straight.

" Sage?" Sammie's soft voice came from the tent door. Sage pulled away to look at the girl. She put her arms around Daryl's shoulders and hugged him.

" You okay?" Sage asked. Sammie nodded as she held her arms over her chest. " Sammie, this is Daryl."

" You're the man from her pictures." Sammie started. Daryl nodded.

" Guess that's bout right." He said.

" Ah, Carol said I could keep my stuff in the RV. Are you going to be sleeping here?" Sammie asked. Sage sighed and rested her head against Daryl's.

" I'm going to sleep where you are, okay?" She answered.

" Well Carol and that blond lady said I could sleep in the RV so I think I'm going to be there. It has a door with a lock on it." Sammie said. " Seems safe." Sage nodded.

" Then, if you're okay, I'd like to stay here with Daryl." She said. Sammie nodded.

" Yeah, okay. It's been a long day so I think I want to lay down. Can you at least walk over with me?" Sammie asked. Sage smiled.

" Of course." She said.

XXXXXX

Sage tucked the girl into the bed in the back of the RV. She ran her hand through Sammie's hair until she feel asleep. Carol was leaning against the door frame, watching the girls. Sage was watching Sammie's face and didn't pull away until she was sure the young girl was sleeping. Sage stood up than leaned down and kissed her head.

" Is she your sister?" Carol asked softly. Sage shook her head and looked at Carol.

" No. We were held together in the same cell. She's like my little sister." Sage said.

" I had a little girl, about her age." Carol said as a big tear slipped from her eye. She whipped it away quickly.

" You know, Sammie lost her mother when the outbreak first happen. She could sure use someone else to take care of her." Sage said. Carol covered her mouth with her hand and nodded.

" I'd like to take care of her." She admitted.

" She has been through a lot and has night terrors sometimes. If you just run your hand through her hair, she will calm down." Sage explained.

XXXXXX

Sage's skin never failed to surprise him. It was so soft against his rough skin. Her legs were rubbing against his as he moved against her. Her hands were running up and down the back of his head. Her moans were filling him. They had given up on the kissing, neither one was able to concentrate on it. Their foreheads were pressed together. Daryl was squeezing his eyes shut as the sex coursed through his body. He hadn't been with anyone since their last time.

" Sage." His voice was gruff as he warned her that he was getting close. She arched her back and moaned. He picked up his pace, thrusting hard, deep and fast into her until she cried out. Her orgasm yanking out his hard. His body froze against hers as he poured through her. His muscles tensed as he started to sweat. He had forgotten how good sex and orgasms really felt.

XXXXXX

A knock echoed through the complex in the middle of the night. Mike walked up to the door and opened it.

" Well, well, well. I never thought I'd see you again." He said with a smile to the dark haired ex-cop standing in front of him.

_* Yeah, how's that for a ending? You guys know how much I love writing 2 part stories so this one is no different. This is a VERY open ended story.*_


	15. Chapter 15

I just want to explain some things with the ending of this story. I am writing a second part. The second part is going to involve Sage and Sammie dealing with the abuse. There are going to be flashbacks containing Sage's escape from the cell. I know it seems like Mike and his men let them go easily but that is not the case. I do not take abuse and rape easily but I wanted to make a part 2 and decided to tackle those in the second part. Sage laid with daryl as quickly as she did for a reason that will be explained. I hope I didn't lose readers because of how I ended this story.


	16. Chapter 16

_* So I decided not to make this a two part story. I'm just going to put it together as one. Please Review*_

Daryl stared at Sage as she slept beside him. Two weeks had passed since she had rejoined the group and things, on the surface, seemed great. She smiled and helped with the camp chores such as cooking and laundry. At night she stayed in the tent with him while Sammie slept in the RV. But it was at night when he saw her careful emotional guard crack. During the day there were times when he saw it slip but she was quick to cover it up.

She didn't like being alone with any of the men but Daryl. When he was at camp, and not hunting, she was suctioned to his side. She would smile and talk with him but he could see the fear in her eyes. He could feel her tense whenever any of the guys came up to talk to them. He had tried to talk to her but she had said she was fine, that she just wanted to forget everything. But at night...

At night she had horrible nightmares. Sometimes they'd wake her up. She'd jump straight up, looking around the tent with a wild look in her eyes and sweat along her hairline. The first few times it had happen, Daryl sat up with her. She would be breathing heavy, almost panting. After a few minutes, she'd laid back down but toss and turn. Sometimes the nightmares would make her cry in her sleep. He'd wipe her tears away and whisper to her. In the mornings he had tried to talk to her but Sage would just smile and shake her head. Then she'd distract him with her body.

Daryl sighed as Sage whimpered in her sleep. He had been abused, he understood the need and want to forget what had happen but that hadn't done him any good and wasn't doing her any good. He needed to figure out how to get her to open up to him but he knew there was only one way he could do that. He was going to have to relive his past to help her with hers. That was something he wasn't looking forward to doing.

XXXXXX

Daryl came out of the woods after hunting the next day and moved to find Sage. She was right where he knew she would be, standing by Carol and Sammie. They were hanging up wet clothes. He frowned as he walked. Sammie didn't like him, he could tell. She was always frowning and shooting him dirty looks. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

" Sage," He said as he reached them. " I want to show you something." He said as he held his hand out to her. Sage smiled and took it.

" I'll be back." Sage said. Daryl didn't fail to notice the look Sammie cast his way. He had never had a 13 year old hate him as much as she did and he didn't even know why.

XXXXXX

Daryl watched Sage as she sat beside him on the river bank. She was smiling with her eyes closed. The breeze was warm against her skin and following through her hair. She sighed and turned her face towards him at the same time she opened her eyes. She smiled at him and Daryl's heart fluttered.

" It's pretty out here."

" Need to talk." Daryl said. Sage's smile wavered slightly. " You need to talk, tell me what happen at the jail." She looked back towards the river.

" Do you think we could catch some fish?"

" Don't change the subject, Sage." He said. Sage propelled herself forward quickly.

" I'm fine." She said quickly as she crossed her arms over her chest. Daryl sighed as he watched her. His knees were bent and his arms were resting on them. His hands were linked together.

" I didn't ask you if you were fine. I asked you to tell me what happen." She shook her head as she stared straight ahead of her.

" It doesn't matter. It's over." She said.

" It ain't over for you and it ain't over for that little girl. Whatever happen you are relivin it every day and every night." She turned around and faced him quickly.

" We are fine!" She snapped. Daryl shook his head.

" No, you ain't." Daryl said as he stood up. She clamped her mouth shut and looked away from him. Daryl walked over to her and put his hands on her forearms. " You trusted me before, trust me now." Sage shook head again and quickly wiped a tear away. " You wanna help that little girl, then let me in. If I know what happen I can help." He said softly.

" You know what happen." Sage whispered.

" I know what I think happen." He said. Sage frowned and looked at him.

" Then take what you think and times it by ten. Once you do that then you will understand why I don't want to talk." She said.

" You ain't got a choice, Babe. This is eatin you alive. I can see it." He said.

" I'm fine!" She yelled as she yanked away from him. " I'm fine and so is Sammie! Yeah, we need some time to adjust but we are fine! Just leave me alone about it!"

" It ain't gonna go away." Sage shook her head and started hurrying away from him. " It's only gonna get worst if you don't talk!" He yelled out to her.

" Drop it, Daryl!" She yelled. He sighed and put his hand on the back of his head.

XXXXXX

_" I'm going to get us help." Sage whispered into Sammie's hair as she held the girl close. " We can't be the only people left. When I was out, before Mike found me, I saw a farm. It was well kept. There has to be people there."_

_" What if they catch you? They will kill you." Sammie cried softly._

_" It's a chance I'm willingly to take. I'd rather die trying to help us then die in here." Sage said. " When Mike comes for me tonight for our walk outside, I'm going to escape. I will save us." Sage promised the little girl._

_XXXXXX_

Sage wouldn't meet Daryl's eyes during dinner time. She sat beside Sammie and he could see the anger in her face. He sighed and readjusted in his chair. She could be angry all she wanted, he was not giving up on her. He was going to get it out of her. The sooner she talked, the sooner she could heal and start to feel better. Keeping the abuse locked inside hadn't helped him, instead it turned him into a angry, bitter person for years and he'd be damn if that happen to her. He loved her too much to let that happen.


	17. Chapter 17

_* Please Review! Warning, this chapter is hard to read, it was hard to write because I have children and I can't image them going through what Daryl went through. I choose to write about his past based on an interview Norman Reedus gave about his take on Daryl's past.* _

Sage had come into his tent later that night after she had settled Sammie into the RV, as she did every night. She didn't say anything to Daryl as she undressed, stripping down to her panties, tank top and socks. He was laying on his back, watching her but she refused to meet his eyes. His hands were behind his head and his eyes shifted to the roof of the tent when she laid down next to him. She gave him her back. Daryl took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

" The first time my daddy beat me, that I remember, I was 5." He started.

" Daryl," She started to say.

" I had tripped and knocked over his beer. Wasn't my fault, my overalls were too big, even rolled up. He beat me with an extension cord." He pushed forward. " Couldn't lay on my back for two weeks." Sage closed her eyes and swallowed hard. " When I turned six I asked him if I could have a birthday party with my friends from school. He laughed at me and told me no one liked me and would come. I spent my birthday alone, didn't even get a cake."

" Daryl please." She whispered.

" When I was seven he got mad at me for somthin I can't even remember and that's how I got this scar across my chest." Sage opened her eyes and wiped a tear away. He opened his eyes and stared at the roof again. " That time I got lost in the woods, the time I told you about, when my daddy came home and saw how much I had ate, well that's how I got the marks on my ribs. He hadn't even known I had been gone." He sighed and turned over. He moved closer to her, putting his arm around her waist. He tried to ignore how she jumped at his touch. He kissed her shoulder gently. " Your turn." He said when he started rubbing his goatee against her skin. He waited but she didn't speak for a long time. When he was about to turn over and leave her alone, she cleared her throat.

" Every time one of the men came for Sammie, I tried to stop them. I fought them, hard. I offered myself but none of them would take me. They said Mike had told them I was off limits. I had to watch them once and it was horrible. After a while though, Sammie stopped crying. Her eyes would go empty and it was like she just checked out." Sage said.

" She was protectin herself. Pretendin it wasn't really happenin to her." Daryl said.

" She's 13, Daryl, 13. She saw her mother killed in front of her and than those men..." She shook her head and turned over, on her other side, to face him. Daryl tucked some hair behind her ear.

" And now you." He said. She brought her hands to the collar of his shirt and shook her head. " Tell me, Sage. Get it out there so we can deal with it." She shook her head again and closed her eyes.

" I can't." She whispered.

" You can. Just say it." He said. Sage moved closer to him, tucking her head under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. " I don't care what happen, ain't gonna make me leave you. I just got you back, I ain't lettin nothin happen to you again. But you can't move on with this if you can't admit what happen."

" Why do I have to say it? Why do you need to hear it? You know what happen." She whined.

" Because you ain't lettin it go. You think I don't see how scared you are with Rick and them? You think I don't notice the tension in you when I touch you? You want to have sex with me but you can't wet and enjoy yourself unless I go down on you first, not that I mind doin it, but that ain't you, Sage. The you I know is carefree and fun. You're sexual and you enjoy sex acts like a man does. The you I know loved walkin around naked in front of me just to tease me. You used to make me sit on the couch with the TV on while you touched yourself across the room just to drive me crazy. Now you struggle with me seein you naked."

" It's not you." She said softly.

" I know." He said. She inhaled hard and her body shook slightly from it.

" Tomorrow will you take me back to that stream? It was peaceful there." She asked. Daryl frowned and closed his eyes.

" Sage..." he started.

" I will tell you everything then. I promise." She said quickly. He sighed but squeezed her.

" I'm gonna hold you to it. And you ain't gonna distract me. You ain't gonna play with my dick or lick my neck, nothin. It needs to come out or it's gonna tear us both apart." He said. He felt her nod against him.

" Okay." She agreed.

XXXXXX

Shane wandered around the roof the building. He crouched down, resting his elbows on his knees. He knew the plans Mike had made and he had agreed to them. Shane started chewing on his bottom lip. What the hell was he doing? Rick and Lori, they were his best friends. He frowned and shook his head. No, Lori wasn't. Lori was the woman he was in love with and Rick was the man in his way. He exhaled and stood up straight. She loved him too, he was sure of it. He just needed Rick out of the way so she could remember that.

Lori wasn't to be hurt, Mike promised Shane that much. He was going to give her to Shane. To hell with everyone else. T-Dog, Glenn, Dale, Rick, fuck them. They could die, he didn't care. Daryl was only going to be kept alive because he could hunt them food. And he would too because if he refused, Mike was going to rape Sage in front of him. It would work, Shane told him it would. The hunter would do anything to keep her safe. They would make it clear to him that if he tried to take off, refused to hunt, or tried to use his weapons on any of Mike's men, if he tried to fight anyone, Sage would be the one to pay for it.

Although, Shane did feel for Carl. He wasn't sure what to do about the kid. He didn't want the kid to die, he did love him after all. Andrea, Carol, the little girl, the girls living the farmhouse, Sage, he didn't give two shits about them. All he cared about was Lori and Carl. After a while, they'd forgive him for what was going to happen to Rick. They'd understand that Mike was coming for the group anyway. They'd figure it out that Shane was the only reason they would going to be kept safe and alive. He nodded to himself, yeah, they'd forgive them.

XXXXXX

Sammie stared at the roof of the RV. She needed to find a way to get Sage away from Daryl. He was no good for her, he was just like the other men and Sammie needed to make Sage see that. She needed Sage to understand that. All he wanted was sex, that was all they wanted. If she couldn't make Sage see that, she'd just have to kill him then. She could do it, she was sure she could. She hated him enough to do it. Who did he think he

was? How dare he try and take Sage away from her.

XXXXXX

Sage couldn't think straight as she lay on her back with his mouth between her legs. Her fingers were curling around his hair as he worked that amazing tongue of his around the top of her. Her back arched and her head fell back as she cried out. When he was down there, she could forget everything. She didn't have to think about anything. All she could do was feel the sensations he was giving her. Her whole body was alive with it. Her legs moved up and down, they were beyond her control. When he slipped two fingers inside her, her mind exploded. Her orgasm was coming, faster and faster as he started to hum against her. Her eyes flew open as she moaned.

" Now!" She started saying. " Now, now, now!" She called out.

He pulled away from her and moved above her quickly. He was inside her before she could blink. His hands came to rest on either side of her head. His knees came up, spreading her farther apart. He moved his hips, thrusting inside her fast, bring her orgasm on strong and hard. Her eyes snapped shut and her hands gripped at his ass. Daryl's mouth came down on her shoulder. He sucked in her skin hard. Her orgasm was just starting to end as his began.

And that was how it was with them. He had to go down on her and stay down there until she was too close to turn back. She'd warn him right before she started to cum. He'd put himself inside her and they'd have sex. She'd cum around him while he moved quick. They had tried just to have sex but she couldn't do it, she couldn't get wet, couldn't get excited. She couldn't go down on him, she had tried but it scared her so he had stopped letting her. It made her feel bad, made her feel like a failure as his partner.

" I love you." He whispered against her ear.

It never failed to surprise her when he said it. How could he? After everything that had happen, how could Daryl still love her? It made her cry every time he said it. She prayed he didn't notice her tears but inside, she knew he did. She knew he could hear the sadness in her voice when she said it back but to his credit, he never called her on it. He'd simply gather her to him and hold her until she fell asleep. He'd run his hand though her hair or up and down her back, knowing it relaxed her. And when the nightmares started, he soothed her with words and those easy touches again.

He was right, Sage knew it. She had to talk, it needed to be put out there. The one person who could, who would, understand the abuse she had suffered would be Daryl Dixon. If she could just close her eyes and not have to look at him, she could tell him everything and she planned on doing just that.


	18. Chapter 18

_* Please Review!*_

Sage walked slowly towards Daryl who stood on the edge of the camp. He was holding onto the reins of a horse and wasn't looking at her. He was messing with the buttons on his shirt. Sage was sick to her stomach. Not only had she promised she'd open up to Daryl, her and Sammie had gotten into a huge fight about her leaving. Sammie hated that Sage was spending so much time with Daryl. She felt like she was being pulled in different directions. Daryl wanted time with her, needed time with her. Sammie wanted time with her, needed time with her.

" You ready?" He asked her when she reached him.

" What are you doing with the horse? I thought we were going to the stream." Sage said. Daryl's hand came up and rested against the side of the horse's head.

" Plans changed." He said.

" But I have never been on a horse before." She said. Daryl nodded.

" I know. Takin a step to makin you trust me again." He said. Sage closed her eyes and sighed.

" I trust you." She said softly.

" Come on, Sage. We're wastin time."

He had used a larger saddle so they both fit on top of the horse. After he was sure she was comfortable in front of him, Daryl's arms slipped around her waist and he nudged the horse forward. Her back was against his front with his legs tucked against hers. He heard her sighed but didn't say anything. He was going to wait her out. He hated to be pushed so he wasn't going to do it to her. He wasn't the most patient man but he felt like he had no choice. The horse had been walking for almost half an hour before Sage cleared her throat. She tensed up against him and took a deep breath.

" The day I escaped from the prison I had tried to talk Sammie into coming but she was too scared. She was scared we would get caught and they'd kill us once and for all. When one of Mike's men came for Sammie, I rushed him. It was easy because he hadn't been expecting it. I hit him and knocked him out of the way. Then I just took off running." She was speaking softly.

" And then?" He asked gently.

" I just ran. I ran through the forest as fast as I could. I could hear them calling out for me so I hid. I climbed up into a tree, as high as I could go and I sat there. They passed me a few times but never saw me. I must have been there for a few hours. When I didn't hear them for a while, I climbed down and started running again. I thought I was safe but one of his men came out of nowhere and hit me in the head."

" So that's how you got that wound." Daryl said.

" I guess so." Sage said. " Anyway, when I came to there was no one around. I couldn't remember anything and was confused. I think that was why I started running again. I ran through the bushes and there you were."

" And you didn't know me at all?" He asked. Sage shook her head.

" I didn't really see you, I didn't really pay attention I guess. After I came too though, you were familiar to me. I felt drawn to you but I thought that was because you had found me. The dreams started right away but I didn't put them together at first. The images were blurry. Slowly your eyes came into focus. Then one night, you looked at me at the same time I looked at you and I knew it was you."

" How?" He asked.

" Your eyes were the same as the ones in my dreams." She said.

" So that is how you lost your memory but how did you find Mike?" Daryl asked.

" He found me. I had left the town when the outbreak happen. He found me in the woods, told me he had a safe place so I went with him. I was scared and so glad to see someone who was alive." Sage said.

He let her fall into silence then. He nudged the horse over to a tree by a steam. He dismounted from the horse and helped her down next. He tied the horse up then they took hands and started walking again. Daryl led her over to the bank of the stream and they sat down. He was facing her, she was facing the stream. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

" Do you need the details?" She asked.

" Whatever you want to say." Daryl said. She was quiet again for a while. Then finally she spoke, still with her eyes shut.

" He raped me. But only him. Mike won't let the others touch me. He said I was just for him. There were other women there but he used them for trade." She said. Daryl's mouth went tight and his eyes narrowed. He had his knees bent and his elbows resting on them. His hands were clasped together. He grunted and suddenly pushed himself up.

" I knew I should have killed that mother fucker." He bit out. Sage drew her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on them. Daryl was pacing back and forth. " He's a dead man, a dead fucking man! I ever see him again, I'm gonna rip him apart with my bare hands! Ain't no man ever gonna touch you again! I'll cut his fuckin nuts off!" He suddenly exploded, making her jump. " I'll cut his nuts off and skin him alive! MOTHERFUCKER!" He screamed into the woods. He knew what had happen to her but to hear her say it was pulling more of a reaction out of him then he thought it would. " STUPID, ASS MOTHFUCKER!" Sage covered her face with her hands and started to cry. Daryl stopped pacing and put his hands on his hips. His chest was heaving with emotion. His face was red and he was frowning. She started to sob louder. He walked over to her and crouched down in front of her. " Look at me, Sage." He ordered.

" No." She sobbed out. Daryl took a hold of her wrists and forced them away from her face.

" This ain't your fault. He's gonna pay for what he did, you hear me?" He said. He took a hold of her face and swept his thumbs across her cheeks. " You gonna be just fine, Sage. Everything is gonna be just fine." He finished up softer. She brought her eyes up to meet his. She took a hold of his wrists. " I'm gonna make it fine." She swallowed hard.

" I came back here for you. I moved back from Ohio to find you. I wanted to try and fix things between us." She said softly.

" Then we gonna start today." He said. Sage drew in a shaky breath.

" Can we make things okay?" She asked.

" You think we went through all this shit, found each other with all this shit gonna on, and I'd just let you go? Ain't nothin gonna stop this, gonna stop us." Sage closed her eyes and sighed as she smiled.

Her hands came up from his wrists to circle around his neck. She pulled him down and kissed him. They kissed slowly for a few minutes before he felt her move. She moved her legs and pulled him down as she laid back. He wanted to stop her, he wanted to make sure this was what she really wanted to do but she was sucking on his tongue and his thoughts were lost.

Their hands moved in a frenzy, tugging and yanking clothes off. He didn't try to touch her, he knew better then too. She'd freeze up and whatever was happening between them would be over. They had made progress, a part of her had healed. She was still broken but a part of her was healing. When she was completely naked, he started to slip down her to take her in his mouth but she stopped him.

" No," She whispered, her hand under his chin. He looked up from her stomach. " I don't need it." She whispered. He lowered his head and swiped his tongue across her tummy.

" I don't mind." He whispered.

" Please." Daryl smiled but moved up to her head. " Just touch me." She said against his mouth.

As soon as his hand came in contact with her, he could feel how warm and wet she was. His breath caught a second before he crushed his mouth against hers in a groan.

XXXXXX

She was angry. She was beyond angry. She watched them from her hiding spot. She watched as Daryl moved above Sage. His hips were thrusting as he went inside her. And to Sammie's horror, Sage was moaning like she enjoyed it. Her hands were on his ass and she was moving with him. They were both panting and moaning. How could she stand for someone to touch her? How could she enjoy what he was doing to her? Sage whimpered when he put his mouth against her neck. She arched her back then cried out. He started pumping his hips harder as he grunted and groaned. Sammie watched as Daryl came. His head lifted up from Sage's neck. His eyes were closed and he was frowning but Sammie knew he was cumming. His body had pushed into hers and now he was frozen. After a few seconds, his head lowered down to Sage's. He was breathing heavy as he kissed her.

" I love you." She whispered up to him. His hand stroked her cheek.

" I love you." He whispered in return.

How could she love him after what he just did to her? How could she love him when his sweat was all over her body and his cum was inside her? Sammie wanted to throw up. If she was Sage, she'd stab him right through his heart.


	19. Chapter 19

_* Please Review! Yeah, I stole part of the scene from the show!*_

Sage was settled into Daryl's chest as the horse slowly brought them back to the camp. Once again his arms were around her waist. She had her hands resting on top of his and their fingers were interlaced. They were talking quietly together, both feeling good about what had happen. He could tell some tension had left her and she was feeling more relaxed than she had in a while.

After they returned the horse to the barn, they took hands and started towards the camp again. Sage's right hand was wrapped up in his left. Her free arm was holding his arm. Her head was resting against him. She still had a ways to go to heal but she was on her way. She was glad she had opened up to him and was glad they had sex without him having to go down on her. She raised her head up as they neared the camp and saw Sammie storming her way over to them.

" I should go and talk to her." Sage said to Daryl.

" She hates me." He said.

" She doesn't hate you." They both knew the young girl did.

" How could you!" Sammie exploded, bring the entire camp's attention.

" How could I what?" Sage asked. Daryl let go of her hand. Sammie started walking around them and that was making him nervous.

" I saw you two! I saw what you let him do to you!" Sammie yelled. She stopped walking when she was facing the camp. Everyone was coming up Sage and Daryl's back.

" Sammie, calm down." Sage said softly.

" No! How could you let him do that! How could you like it! Don't you see, Sage? He is just like them! He is just like Mike!" Tears were starting to make their way down Sammie's cheeks.

" He isn't like them at all. Daryl loves me, I love him." Sage said. To every one's horror, Sammie's right arm flew up. She had a gun pointed right at Daryl. Rick came forward quickly.

" Honey, put the gun down. Let's talk about this." He said gently.

" There's nothing to talk about!" Sammie yelled as she cried. " Why can't you see, Sage? All he wants to do is take you away from me!"

" Sammie, please, put the gun down." Sage pleaded. Everyone had moved away quickly so it was only Sammie, Sage, Rick and Daryl. The three had their hands up.

" I ain't doin nothin. I ain't gonna take Sage away." Daryl tried to reassure her.

" You shut up! You're disgusting! What you did to her is disgusting! We have to leave, Sage! Please! We have to get away from these men!" Sammie cried.

" Sammie, listen to me. None of these men are going to hurt us." Sage started forward but Daryl quickly grabbed her shoulder. The girl was unstable and he didn't want Sage close to her. Sage put her hand on his. " They are going to protect us."

" Oh yeah? Then why won't he let you come to me? Huh? Because he knows I know about him!" Slowly Daryl lowed his hand and Sage started forward again.

" I promise you, Sammie, Daryl is not going to hurt me or you." Sage said as she slowly walked forward.

" Sammie, you have my word that no one here will touch you. You need to put that gun down." Rick said. " You don't want to hurt anyone or your self."

" I want to hurt him!" Sammie said as she pointed her gun towards Daryl. " I hate you!" She screamed out.

" Sammie, please! Put the gun down. If you hurt Daryl, then you hurt me. I showed you his pictures, you know my stories of him. He didn't hurt me before all this, he's not going to hurt me now." Sage said.

" But you're with him all the time and I need you! I need you, Sage, not him! You're all I have, can't you see that? I need you, Sage!" Sammie said.

" Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I have been with him so much. I will stop. Put the gun down and we will talk about it." Sage said as she almost reached the scared girl. Sammie shook her head.

" No! He has to die! He had sex with you, I saw it! I saw what he did to you with his disgusting penis! He put it inside you!" Sammie said.

" But I wanted him too. It wasn't like how it was with Mike or the other guys. He wasn't hurting me. It was my choice." Sage said. Sammie shook her head and Sage noticed T-Dog sneaking up behind Sammie. " Sammie, please."

" I'm sorry, Sage." She said softly.

Everything seemed to slow down then. Sammie's brown eyes leveled on Daryl. Fear gripped Sage's heart. T-Dog took off running and swept the girl up by her waist but not before she managed a shot. The bullet flew through the air and caught Daryl across the side of his head. He whipped around and fell to the ground from the force. Sage turned around quickly and yelled for him. Rick ran to Daryl while T-Dog hit the gun away. Sammie was fighting and screamed as she was lifted like she weighted nothing. Carol was running towards the girl.

Sage was torn. She wanted to go to Daryl, she wanted to go to Sammie who was screaming for her. She was looking back from Daryl to Sammie. Daryl was groaning and rolled from his left side to his back. Sammie was fighting against T-Dog. Rick ran to Daryl and dropped to his knees. Sage could see Daryl moving around.

" Is he alright?" She asked in a panic.

" She just grazed him!" Rick called out as he dropped to his knees. Sage turned and looked towards Sammie. She looked back at Daryl, whose hands were on his head. She looked back at Sammie.

" I don't know where to go." Sage admitted.

" The girl." Daryl groaned out. " Go to the girl." Sage felt tears come to her eyes but she faced Sammie. She walked over to the young girl and nodded to T-Dog. He let her go and Sammie all but collapsed into Sage's arms. She was sobbing.

" I'm sorry!" She was crying. Sage wrapped her arms around Sammie's shoulders. She started running one hand through her hair.

" Shhhh." She said gently. Carol hurried over to them. She was crying again. " It's okay." Sage said again. " Come on, Sammie." She started pulling her over towards her and Daryl's tent. She cast Rick a look who was looking at Daryl.

" He's okay, Sage." He said.

" Just go." Daryl groaned out. Sammie's arms were wrapped around Sage's waist as they walked.

XXXXXX

" You ready for this, buddy?" Mike asked as he clamped a hand down on Shane's shoulder. They were on the roof of the building.

" Yeah." Shane said.

" Two days and we will have our women here. I think we have let enough time pass that they think we have forgot about them." Mike said, his hand dropping.

Truth be told, Shane wasn't sure. When he left Rick's group, he was so sure of what he was doing. When he joined Mike, the plans were being made, he was sure of what his role. But time had gone by and now Shane wasn't sure anymore. He kept remembering how things were when he and Rick were in high school, how things were before the outbreak. He'd give anything to have those times back.

Maybe he could sneak away and warn Rick. It wasn't to late for that. Maybe he could get back and help defend the group and save everyone.


	20. Chapter 20

_* Please Review!*_

Sage brought Sammie into Daryl's tent and the two girls sat on his cot. Sammie was sobbing and hiccuping, Sage was in shock. The young girl's arms were wrapped tightly around Sage's waist while Sage's arms were around her shoulders. Sammie's face was buried into Sage's stomach. She didn't know what to say.

" I want to be mad at you." Sage finally said.

" I'm sorry!" Sammie said as she pulled away.

" Forget that you shot Daryl, what the hell were you doing with a gun? You could have hurt yourself." Sage said.

" I don't know what came over me. I just saw it in the RV and took it. I just...I just hate Daryl so much!"

" But why? He hasn't done anything to us. He got us out of that place and away from those men." Sage said as she searched Sammie's eyes.

" Because he is taking you away from me! All you do is follow after him. You're with him all day, then all night and you let him put that thing inside you!" Sage closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

" Okay, listen," She said after a few minutes. She opened her eyes and looked at Sammie again. " I have been selfish. I should have stayed with you. I should have spent more time with you and not him but I didn't know what to do. I never had children. Carol had a daughter your age, I thought if anyone could help you it would be her. She has that mother in her." Sage tried to explain.

" But I don't want her! I want you! You were the one who went through all that stuff with me, not her!" Sammie cried. Sage nodded.

" And I understand that now, I see that. I didn't before but I do now and I'm sorry. I was just so glad to see him again, to know Daryl was alive and well. My break up with him was so hard for me, to find him again, I just wanted to be with him but that was wrong. You need me more then he does. I needed to put my needs and wants aside to get you through this." Sage said.

" Can I help?" Carol's soft voice came from outside the tent, pulling the girls eyes to her. Sage nodded to Carol walked in. She walked over to the cot and sat down on the other side of Sammie. " I think you should know that I have an understanding towards what you have been through, Sammie. I went through years of abuse. I know what you are thinking and feeling. I want to help you." Carefully she placed a hand on the young girl's back. She started rubbing it.

" Tell me what you want, Sammie. Do you want me to move into the RV with you? Will that help you?" Sage asked gently. Sammie hiccuped and nodded. " Okay, then I will do that. But you have to understand, I am not a mind reader. You need to tell me what you want and need." Sammie laid her head on Sage's shoulder.

" I need you around me more." Sammie said softly.

" Then you got it. I promised to take care of you and I haven't been doing that. Daryl warned me about this. He could see that you were struggling. He told me to go to you but I just thought you'd be better off if we pretended like nothing happen. I see now that that was a mistake." Sage said.

" Daryl saw it?" Sammie almost whispered.

" He said things weren't okay, that I couldn't ignore what had happen. He said you were reliving it every day." Sage said.

" How did Daryl know?" Sammie asked.

" Because Daryl was abused as a child."

XXXXXX

Daryl's head was bandaged up and he was laying down in the bed that had been Sage's when she first came to the farm. His head was pounding so he kept his eyes shut. Herschel had cleaned his wound and wrapped him up but suggested that Daryl relax for a while. He had his right hand covering his eyes when a knock came to the closed door.

" What?" He barked out. He heard the door push open.

" Are you okay?" Sage asked as she slipped into the room.

" Ain't ever been shot at before." He said. " She alright?"

" I'm okay." He heard Sammie's little voice. He frowned and dropped his hand. When he opened his eyes, he saw Sage holding onto Sammie's hand. Sammie was pale and her eyes were red rimmed. " I'm sorry I shot you." Daryl sighed as he looked at her.

" It's alright. You thought you were protectin her and it ain't like you took off my arm or nothin." He said.

" You aren't mad?" Sammie asked. Daryl sighed again.

" I ain't gonna lie, I wanna be but you were protectin Sage. I can't fault you for that. We're good." He said.

" I'm going to spend a couple of nights in the RV with Sammie." Sage said. Daryl nodded.

" Yeah, I think that's best." Daryl agreed.

" Can I have a few minutes with him?" Sammie asked as she looked at Sage. " Alone?" Sage glanced at Daryl then back at her.

" Sure. I'll be right outside the door." She said before she pulled away. She moved to the bed and bent down. She smiled at Daryl then pushed his hair to the right side of his head. " You need something?" She asked.

" I'm alright. Gonna be gettin up soon." He said. Sage tugged on his hair before she straighten up and walked out, closing the door behind her. Sammie shifted her position. Daryl looked away, not sure of what to say or do.

" So Sage said you were abused when you were my age." She said.

" Yeah." He said.

" Can I make you a deal?" Daryl frowned and looked at her.

" Like what?" He asked.

" Can we just agree to share Sage? Cause I know you need her but I need her too." Sammie was speaking so softly, Daryl had to really pay attention to hear her. He sighed.

" Yeah, we can share her. I'm figurin you need her a little more right now then I do so you can have her for a bit. But I want her back." Daryl said. To his surprise, Sammie sat down on the edge of the bed. She lifted her eyes to meet his.

" How do you make through each day? There are some days I want to crawl out of my skin. I...hate myself." She said. Daryl nodded.

" And you gonna have those days more than you gonna have the days where you like yourself. Some days you gonna hate the men that touched you, I used to hate my dad. Some days, I used to think, if I had just been better, he would have treated me better."

" Sometimes I think if I had just fought harder..."

" They would have left you alone." Daryl filled in for her. Sammie bit down on her lip and nodded. "But it ain't really like that. Truth is, you're small, they're big. I was small, my dad was big. Ain't nothin we could do, we couldn't control what they did or how they reacted to us. We can only control how we react."

" How did you control how you reacted?" Sammie asked. Daryl sighed and looked away.

" I didn't...for a long time. I tried to ignore what happen to me but I was angry and I lashed out. Took a good person," He looked to his left and at the door without thinking, " a strong person, to help me to see that shit wasn't my fault."

" You really love her?" Sammie asked. Daryl looked back at her then nodded sharp and quick. " And you weren't hurting her."

" Won't do anythin to hurt her." He said.

" I love her too. She's all I have."

" You could have more, you just have to look around you. That woman, Carol, she wants to take care of you, you should let her. Between Carol and Sage, they can get through this." Daryl said.


	21. Chapter 21

_* Please Review! Has anyone been having trouble logging in the past few days? Some days I can and some days I can't. I'm thinking about writing a story based on Reedus' move Moscow Chill, what do you think?* _

Sage and Sammie were sitting by the fire pit later that day. Sage was teaching Sammie how to peel the potatoes they had pulled out of one of the garden on the farm. Something caught Sage's eyes so she looked up. She took a deep breath as she saw Daryl slowly making his way towards the group. His head was down and his shoulders were relaxed but Sage knew he was anything but. Daryl Dixon was never relaxed. Even after sex, when most men were completely comfortable and tired, Daryl was alert and that was before the outbreak. It had only gotten worst after it. Sammie looked up at him then at Sage. She dropped her eyes quickly.

" Sammie, I'm going to take ten minutes with Daryl. I just want to make sure he is okay. But I will be back." Sage said.

" I got her." Carol offered. Sammie looked at Sage with pleading eyes. Sage stood up but leaned down to her face.

" Ten minutes, Sammie, okay?" She asked gently.

" Okay." Sammie said.

" Let Carol help you though. I don't want you to get cut." Sammie offered her a small smile which made Sage smile. She stood up straight and patted her shoulder before walking away.

XXXXXX

Shane watched from the edge of the woods. Sage was quickly walking towards Daryl who had stopped walking and was waiting for her. When she reached him, her hands slipped up his chest to his shoulders. She pulled herself up and kissed him. What that pretty girl saw in a dirty redneck like Daryl, Shane didn't understand. He shook his head and scanned the area. Sammie and Carol were by the fire, Dale and Andrea were on top of the RV but he couldn't see Glenn or Lori. Rick was walking through the field.

Shane froze. He wasn't sure what to do. He needed to warn them about Mike's plans but he couldn't just stroll up to them after disappearing. He frowned and shook his head. He knelt down and rested his elbows on his knees. He needed to get Rick's attention. Shane sighed and closed his eyes as he dropped his head. This was it, this was his chance to prove himself and win them all back. He shook his head and stood up. He whistled, getting Rick's attention right away.

His former best friend stopped walking. Shane could see that Rick was struggling with himself. He looked back towards the campsite then back at Shane. Shane looked over to see Sage putting her arm around Daryl's waist as they walked towards his camp. She was looking up at him while he was nodding. Shane looked back to Rick who was coming closer. Shane brought his finger to his lips and Rick seemed to understand because he didn't say anything.

XXXXX

" Lay down." Sage said when they reached Daryl's tent.

" I ain't layin down. I'm fine. I just got a headache." He said as Sage pushed him from behind. He sat down on the cot and stared up at her.

" Stop being a baby and lay down." Sage ordered.

" What the hell are you doin? You don't tell me what to do." He snapped. Sage came to stand right in front of him with her hands on her hips. She bent down and got close to his face.

" I said lay the fuck down. You will do what I say or your hand will become your new best friend." She said. Daryl narrowed his eyes at her.

" I can go without, can you?" He challenged.

" You aren't the only one who is good with their hands." Sage said.

" I ain't layin down and that's final." He said. Sage kissed his forehead then smiled at him.

" What did she say to you?" Sage asked,

" She asked me how I got over shit." Sage sighed and sat down beside him.

" I didn't tell her anything. I just told you had been abused. I thought it would help her see you in a different light."

" You ain't gotta explain nothin." Daryl put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. He pressed his lips to the side of her head. " Gonna miss you tonight." Sage put her arms around his waist and her head against his chest.

" I'm gonna miss you too." She said. " Maybe after she falls asleep..."

" No." Daryl interrupted her. " Stay with her. She needs ya."

" Yeah, you're right." Sage agreed.

Later that night, Daryl had walked the girls to the RV and went inside with them. He leaned against the counter while Sage covered Sammie up. He watched as his tiny girlfriend smiled and walked over to him. She stood in front of him, in between his legs, and put her arms around him. Daryl's went around hers and they hugged tightly. She rubbed her face into his neck. Daryl turned his head and brought his mouth to her ear.

" Waited a year to find you again, I can wait a little longer. Take care of her. You get up before me, come and get me up. If not, I'll be over." He whispered. She smiled and looked at him. She kissed his cheek.

" Good night." She whispered. He patted her side and pushed her slightly as he stood up.

" Night." He said before he walked out of the RV.

He was making his way across camp towards his tent when Rick caught his eye again. The cop had been antsy all night. Daryl thought it was just because of what had happen but now Rick was standing up and coming over to him. Daryl's mouth tighten. If one more person asked him if he was okay, he was going to...do nothing. He sighed. It was kind of nice having people worry about him. Other than Sage, no one had ever worried about him.

" We need to talk. It's important and it needs to stay between us." Rick said. Daryl frowned but nodded. Rick walked beside him as they moved towards Daryl's tent. He didn't say anything but Daryl could feel the tension coming off Rick. His eyes were moving, scanning and that made Daryl nervous. Had he seen a walker and not said anything? If that was the case, he was going back to the RV and staying there all night to protect his woman.

Once they reached Daryl's tent, Rick followed him inside. Daryl turned on two of his flashlights and faced them so the lights were shining towards the roof. Rick zipped the tent closed then started pacing. Daryl didn't say anything as he sat down on his cot. Rick had something to say and needed time to sort it out so Daryl was going to give him that time.

" We have a problem." Rick finally said.

" You mean besides dead people walkin around?" Daryl commented. Rick stopped pacing and put his hands on his hips. He faced Daryl with a frown.

" Mike's on his way. He's planning on taking all the women in camp and killing all the men but you. He's going to use Sage against you to make you hunt for them. If you don't listen to him and do what he says, he's going to rape her in front of you." The words just tumbled out of Rick. Daryl raised an eyebrow.

" You wanna run that by me again?" He asked. Rick crossed the tent and sat down on the cot beside Daryl.

" Shane came back. I found him on the edge of the woods. When he left, he went to Mike's. He knows their whole plan. They are coming tomorrow night but once they see Shane is gone, you know as well as I do that they will come sooner." Rick said.

" Who else knows about this?" Daryl demanded.

" No one. I didn't want anyone to panic." Rick said.

" Where's that motherfucker now?" Daryl asked.

" Right here." Shane said a second before he unzipped Daryl's tent.


	22. Chapter 22

_* Please Review! Only one, maybe two, chapters lefts!*_

" You sure you want to trust this guy?" Daryl asked Rick. " I mean, he took off on us, didn't tell us nothin and now that he's back, we should just jump cuz he says?"

" Do you really want to risk their lives?" Rick asked.

" I get it, man, I do." Shane said. They were talking quietly, still in Daryl's tent. " I left because I needed something different. I thought I needed to get away and what Mike had looked alright, you know. They are just a bunch of guys, trying to make it. No drama, no bullshit."

" Rapin women and tradin them away for shit seemed alright to you?" Daryl asked. He was still sitting on his cot.

" To be honest, I didn't believe it. I didn't believe them. I just thought they were being dramatic like some women are. But I learn quickly that they weren't." Shane said. " Look, he's coming, I can promise you that. And the only way we can stop them is by killing them." Daryl shook his head and ran his hand over his face.

" Herschel got one those old basements here? You know, like a storm cellar? Somthin that ain't attached to the house but set off somwhere. We could take the women, Carl and the girl and move them in there for the night. In the morning we let them out. We will carry on the day like we always do, only a little more carefully. At night, we lock them up again. We keep doin that til he shows." Daryl said.

" That's not a bad idea." Rick said.

XXXXXX

Daryl opened the door to the RV and quietly climbed in. Sammie and Sage were laying together on the bed in the back. Carol was asleep on the made up couch. He sighed and made his way towards Sage. He wasn't looking forward to telling her Mike was coming for her. She was just starting to overcome her nightmares. She was only having around two or three a night instead of five or six. He shook his head then knelt down in front of her. He lightly shook her shoulder. Sage was laying facing him with Sammie tucked between her back and the back of the RV.

" Sage." Daryl said quietly. " Time to get up." Sage frowned and shook her head.

" It can't be. It feels like I just went to sleep." She said as she opened her eyes. Her frown deepen when she noticed it was dark outside. " What's going on?" She asked.

" You and the women have to hide." He said.

" Why?" She asked. When Daryl didn't answer her, Sage sat up slowly. " Is he here?" She whispered. He moved over towards her and put his right hand to the back of her neck. He brought his face close to hers.

" He ain't here yet but he's comin." He said. Sage swallowed hard but didn't sat anything. He brought his forehead to hers and they closed their eyes. " It ain't gonna happen again. I'm here now. You know I ain't ever gonna let somthin happen to you." She nodded but didn't say anything. " Get the girl. Take pillows and some blankets. You're gonna into a storm cellar so tell her there's a big storm comin."

" Okay." Sage said.

" Gotta be quick now, quick and quiet." Daryl said. They were quiet again for a few seconds before he gave her closed mouth kiss. " I'll come and get you when it's safe."

" Where are you going to be?" Sage asked.

" In the woods."

" Daryl..."

" Don't, Sage. I wasn't there to keep you safe the last time but I can keep you safe now. Get the girl, I'll wake up Carol. We need to go." Daryl said before he pulled away. He stood up and turned around to move to the front of the RV. Sage turned around and gently shook Sammie awake.

In the cover of the night, Daryl gripped her hand while Sage gripped Sammie's. The men led the women across the field. Everyone was running. Only Sammie and Carl thought there was a storm coming. Everyone else knew what was happening and they were all tense. Daryl was looking around as they ran. Every man was looking towards the tree lines. When they reached the storm cellar, Rick threw open the door then carefully helped everyone inside. Carol took Sammie's hand and led her down while Sage held tight to Daryl.

" I'm comin back for you." He said to her. " Keep everyone quiet, no matter what you hear." Sage nodded. Daryl threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her head to him while he bent down. He stared into her eyes. " He ain't gonna touch you again, you hear me?" She took a hold of his wrist.

" I hear you." She whispered as she closed her eyes. A big tear was making it's way down her cheek.

" He ain't even gonna look at you. You trust me?" Sage nodded without looking at him. " Sage, you trust me?" He asked again, harder that time. Sage tried not to sob as she opened her eyes.

" I trust you." She whispered. He nodded, his face dark and hard. He kissed her left cheek then her right one before he pressed his mouth to hers.

" Daryl." Rick said. Daryl pulled away and looked at her again.

" Go on now." He said. Sage turned and started down a few steps. She face him again and they caught eyes before he shut the door. She reached up and slid the lock into place.

When she turned back around, she met the eyes of the scared women and Carl. They had set up flashlights around for light. She took a deep breath and started towards them. She plastered on a fake smile for Sammie who she knew wasn't buying the storm story. She was sitting on one of the cots with Carol. Lori took a hold of Carl and led him to the back of the cellar. She made him up a bed on a cot. The cellar had six cots set up. Lining each wall were shelves filled with canned and dry food.

" Come on, Sammie. It's going to be a long time. Why don't you get some sleep?" Sage said gently. There wasn't enough cots for everyone so they were going to trade off on sleeping on the floor. Only Carl and Sammie were going to get to stay on the cots. Carol, Lori, Patricia, and Beth were taking the other cots for a few hours then they would trade off with Maggie, Andrea, and Sage.

" Why didn't the guys come?" Sammie whispered as she laid down. There was light, soft talking going on as everyone settled in. Sage sat on the edge of the cot, adjusting the blankets around Sammie.

" They are going in the other cellar. There's not enough room for everyone here." Sage said, not meeting Sammie's eyes.

" They's coming, aren't they?" Sammie asked. Sage pursed her lips together to keep them from wavering. She shook her head. " I have something for you but I don't want you to be mad at me." Sage finally looked at her.

" What is it?" Sammie reached under the blanket and into the waist band of her jeans. She pulled out a gun.

" What the hell, Sammie! What is wrong with you! Where do you keep getting these?" Sage snapped lowly.

" I know I shouldn't have it but I heard you and Daryl talking. I wasn't sleeping. I took it off the counter before we left the RV." She explained. Sage took the gun and slipped it under the cot so no one would see it.

" You heard us?" Sage asked. Sammie nodded. Sage sighed and brought her hand to Sammie's face. " They will protect us. You won't go back to them."

XXXXXX

Glenn, T-Dog, Daryl, Rick, Dale, Herschel, and Shane were sitting around a low campfire. No one was talking. They were all listening and searching the woods with their eyes. Everyone was tense and on edge. Daryl's mouth was tight but he was working his jaw back and forth slowly. He was leaning forward in the chair, his elbows on his knees. His hands were clasped tightly together. He wanted to get up and drill Shane in the mouth. Every so often he would look over to the ex-cop and glare at him.

" Why the long faces?" They heard Mike's voice a second before they saw him and his men coming out of the darkness. Everyone was up with their weapons out. This was the one time Herschel didn't fight them about guns. " Well, with those weapons up and pointed, you're going to make me think I'm not welcome here."

" You ain't." Daryl spit out. Mike smiled.

" Hello again, Shane." Mike was clearing ignoring Daryl. " I should have known you'd bitch out and come running back to them. I'm sure you told them about my plans for Sage, but did you inform your little friends about your plans for Lori?"

" Lori?" Rick spoke up.

" It ain't nothing." Shane said. Mike laughed despite the weapons pointed at him and his men.

" You're right. Planning on killing your best friend so you can have his wife and raise his son just might be nothing to some people."

" What is he talking about?" Rick asked.

" Motherfucker set us up!" Daryl yelled. His cross bow was strapped to his back while his shot gun was up and ready to fire.

" I didn't set you up. I wouldn't have told you everything if I was trying to set you up." Shane defended.

" That's enough, now." Herschel spoke up. " They are trying to make us fight each other. Focus." Mike smiled.

" Let's get down to business, shall we? I'd like to know where my wife and daughter are." Mike said. All his men had their weapons up and focused on the group.


	23. Chapter 23

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" She ain't your wife and that little girl ain't your daughter." Daryl spit out. " Is she was, why would you let her be treated like that? And what the hell kind of man rapes his wife?" Mike just laughed.

" Well you, of all people, know that she likes it rough." He said. " Come on, Daryl. I'll gladly share her with you. You can watch while I fuck her or eat her out and I'll watch while you do it."

" You shut your mouth! Don't say that shit about her!" Daryl yelled.

" Calm down, son. He's trying to get under your skin." Dale said softly.

" So I'm guessing Shane told you of my plan, that's why you're all waiting here for me." Mike said casually. " But I have been doing some thinking about changing things. I don't think it's a good idea to keep that boy alive. I think he might try and attack you for killing his dad and fucking his mom." Shane glanced to Rick then back at Mike.

" What are you talking about?" Rick asked.

" Oh he didn't tell you everything?" Mike pretended like he was surprised. He even chuckled. " Well, Shane was going to kill you, Rick, and take Lori for himself. He was going to raise your son as his own." Rick's breath changed but his aim stayed strong. Every man on his side was aimed at a man on Mike's side. Rick was taking slow deep breaths as his anger started flowing through him. Mike smiled again.

" What makes you think we are going to let you take these women with you?" Herschel asked. He even had a gun up and aimed. Everyone of Mike's men had a gun up but Mike, who was standing in the middle of his group with a cocky smile.

" Look, we are all men here, right? We all have sexual needs and you have to admit, women are hard to come by. The way I see it, only Rick and Daryl get to sleep with a warm body every night. Now how is that fair? What if we share them? Daryl and I will share Sage, Shane and Rick will have Lori and the rest you guys can figure it out." Mike suggested. Rick tilted his head then slowly nodded.

" I think we might be able to work something out." Rick said. There was a collective draw of breath through his group.

" Rick." Both Herschel and Dale said.

" Dog." T-Dog said.

" Are you fuckin crazy?" Daryl snapped.

" I'm coming forward to shake on it." Rick said. Mike's smile grew and he nodded. " I'm not going to lower my weapon because your men have their guns up." Rick started forward.

" We ain't doin this!" Daryl yelled.

" Let me handle this, Daryl." Rick said between clutched teeth. He extended his left hand as his right hand was still on the trigger. Mike's left hand came up. The two men clasped hands and shook. Before anyone could react, Rick yanked Mike forward so the barrel of his gun was on the man's forehead and pulled the trigger. Mike's head snapped back. On impulse Rick's group opened fire.

XXXXXX

" Listen!" Andrea hissed. Carl and Sammie were the only ones sleeping. The women crept up to the stairs. Andrea and Sage looked at each other.

" What is that?" Maggie whispered.

" Gun fire." Sage whispered as her stomach dropped. She swallowed then faced the women. " We aren't defenseless. Sammie grabbed a gun, it's under the cot."

" What is with this girl and guns?" Lori asked.

" She's smart." Andrea said as she reached behind her. She pulled out her gun. " And so am I. They make it in here and we will take out as many as we can."

XXXXX

What seemed like hours went by. The women slept in shifts but no more noises were heard. They couldn't hear anyone talking or any more gun fire. They were debating together on if they should just open the doors and see what happen or wait it out. Andrea wanted to threw open the doors and go out guns blazing but the other women were worried. Finally they decided that Andrea and Sage would go out as they were more comfortable with guns. They were just starting up the steps when a heavy pounding the door shrunk them back.

" Sage!" Daryl called out. Sage's heart jumped and tears sprung to her eyes. She flew up the stairs and yanked the lock free. She pushed at the heavy doors as he pulled them open. The morning light was just starting to shine, making Sage shield her eyes and squint. " It's over." Daryl said.

Part of his hair was matted to his head with sweat and part of it was sticking up. His pants were covered in dirt and his shirt had sweat stains on it. It was sticking to his chest in places. He looked worn down and tired. His arms were covered in blood, sweat and dirt. She took him in for a few seconds before she spoke.

" There's blood on you." He nodded.

" It ain't mine. He said. " Come on, let's get you out of there."

XXXXXX

The next few day things in the camp seemed to settling down. Shane was keeping his distance from every one. Some members of the group offered him small smiles which he returned. A few polite comments were made to him. Daryl wasn't allowing Sage or Sammie to go near him. Rick was making Lori and Carol stay away from him and wasn't talking to him. Sage was still sleeping in the RV but Sammie was starting to spend more and more time with Carol. Sammie would talk with Daryl but she was still shy with the other men so they tried to stay away from her. None of the men were talking about what happen and were not letting the women go to the far end of the one of the fields.

" Are we going to talk about it?" Sage asked as she and Daryl strolled through the camp. Carol was helping Sammie cut up some vegetables. Sage's fingers were interlaced with his but she was looking at the girl.

" No." Daryl said. He was looking straight forward.

" Why not?" She asked. He sighed and pulled her closer him.

" Ain't important, Babe. Just know that he ain't ever comin back." He said.

" I know that. He's dead." She said, making him look at her quickly. Sage glanced up at him then in front of them again. " Don't look so shocked, Daryl. You showed up at the cellar with dirt and blood on you. Now none of you guys will let us go to the far end of the field." Daryl sighed and looked straight head of them. " That's where you guys buried them, right?" Daryl nodded.

" Rick shot Mike." He said, dropping his voice. " Walked right up to him and shot him in the head."

" And did you shoot anyone?" When Daryl didn't talk, Sage pulled her hand away from his and put her arm around his waist. She rested her head against his chest. Her left hand came up and started playing with the buttons on his shirt.

" I don't want you to think differently bout me." He said, his voice gruff.

" I'm not." Sage commented. He sighed.

" I shot one, hit him in the chest. We acted to fast for them to react. Mike said we could share you, said I could watch while he fucked you and ate you out." His left arm was around her shoulders and tighten without him thinking. " I wanted to beat him to death. Can't stand the thought of him doin that to you."

" He didn't. He never put his mouth on me. He never even kissed me." She said. Daryl rubbed his chin against the top of her head.

" We loaded them into that old truck and buried them. We had to clean up their blood before we came and got you." Sage stopped walking, forcing him to stop as well. She put her hands on his chest as she stared into his eyes. She slipped them up his chest and to his neck. He let her pull his face down were she gently kissed him.

" I love you." She whispered.

XXXXXX

Daryl walked Sammie and Sage back to the RV when it was bed time. He waited while Sage got Sammie settled in then hugged and kissed his girlfriend good night. Right then he was slowly making his way back to his tent. He sighed as he walked with his head down. Being away from her was killing him. They had only been able to sneak off into the woods twice and both times, he had had to take her quickly so they weren't away from Sammie for long. It wasn't his favorite way. He kind of liked taking things slow with her. He liked making her moan and beg for him.

' Knock it the fuck off.' He growled to himself. He glanced around, making sure no one could see him then reached down and adjusted his hard dick.

" Daryl!" He heard her call out. Daryl frowned and stopped walking. He turned around to see her running towards him. He only had a second to react before she launched herself at him, jumped straight into his arms. He stumbled back as he grabbed her.

" What the hell are you doin?" He asked. She grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Her arms were tight around his neck, his were under her ass.

" Take me bed, redneck." She whispered against his neck.

" What?" He asked.

" Sammie released me for the night. She wants to try and sleep in the RV with just her and Carol. Take me to bed!" Sage said. Daryl whipped around and all but ran to his tent, making her laugh into his neck.

XXXXXX

Daryl was flat on his back with Sage over him. She was straddling him and he was gripping her hips. His head was tilted back as she rode him slow and deep. His eyes were closed and he was biting his lip on the left side. She had one hand on his chest while the other was resting against his thigh, behind her. She was moaning. He thrust his hips up and down as she moved with him. Daryl raised his head and opened his eyes.

" Oh fuckin hell." He groaned out, low and long. It had been a while since he had seen her naked. His head dropped back down again. " Oh fuckin hell!" He groaned. Sage leaned forward with both hands planted on either side of his head. She rocked hard against him. " You gotta go! I ain't gonna last!" Her hands came to his shoulders and her fingers bit into him. Her body started to tremble.

' Thank God!' He yelled in his mind.

He bend forward with the force of his orgasm. His hands slipped down to her ass and he squeezed her hard. His body was seized up, his arms and legs locking as he jerked deep inside her. Her back arched like a cat. Finally, when it started to end, he fell back. His arms went out straight and his legs dropped to the floor of his tent. He was sweating and panting hard. She collapsed onto of his chest

" Holy fucking shit that was good." She breathed out. He nodded with his eyes closed. They both were trying hard to control their breathing.

" Think you gonna be able to sleep here tomorrow night?" He asked.

" We better take it night by night, you know?" Sage said.

" I figured you'd say as much. You best plan on gettin up early then cuz I want it like this again." He said. Sage laughed as he started to slip out of her.

" I think things are going to get better now. She's starting to come around, getting more independent, I should be able to move back in with you soon." She said.

" Girl's doin real good. She been talkin to me bout shit. I just listen cuz she must need to talk if she's comin to me." Daryl said. She smiled with her eyes closed.

" Everything is going to be fine now." She said.

The end


End file.
